Forge in Red
by CoriCori
Summary: Peace wasn't going to last forever. After 10 years there's something going on in Karakura Town, surprisingly is not Ichigo's fault or his son's. What's more interesting is this girl capably to watch ghosts and likes to work with fire, maybe those two ideas aren't that separated from each other as she thinks/ THE STORY IS CURRENTLY IN HIATUS. I APOLOGIZE.
1. The dreams and the ghosts

Hi! This story it set 13 years after the epilogue of Bleach. I'm assuming that Kurosaki Kazui is 18 years old, Ichigo and Orihime are around their late 30s or staring 40s. Also, I'm assuming that Ichigo and Orihime are doctors, with the clinic still there and that… Nothing more! Enjoy!

Of course I only own my OC'S presented here: Richards Akari and Richards Gideon, the rest of characters and principal idea of Bleach are from and only Kubo Tite.

"When it's like this, they're talking"

 _"talking in another language"_

 _'remembering stuff'_

 **"** ** _zampakutoh talking, maybe spoiler lol_** **"**

 **\- Chapter 1: The dreams and the ghosts**

January.

The world was a crazy place. There was no doubt about it.

Everything about us humans, was crazy. Each day reaching a new line of madness. Even inside our minds.

In our minds the level of imagination could flow without problem, experimenting life like we couldn't in real life. But there was something even weirder: being able to remember and recalling a dream over and over again.

Everything was dark in that dream, like night, but there was no moon and stars over me. At my bare feet, sand and just that, just being in the middle of the desert at night: cold, hostile, windy and no sign of life. My clothes were only a pair black pants and an oversized white t-shirt.

I shield myself with my arms, trying to get warmer. The wind was getting messy my long blonde hair and restricting the view. I was able to notice at the distance two large columns. Like every dream, I started walking towards there, hoping that whatever it was in that place it would give something to warm me up.

There was something different this time tho. I was able to hear from far away a voice. Even if I couldn't understand what it was, just continued walking, wanting to get out of that desert. Slowly getting closer, closer that I had been able to reach before, my feet hurt a lot feeling my skin getting scratches against the roughness of the sand, and then I could heard it clearly.

" ** _It's been so long since someone was able to hear me_** " It was a woman's voice. I couldn't see very clearly because of the wind, but I could hear the metallic sound of chains moving, clashing with each other coming from the large columns. " ** _Oh blacksmith, I hope you are capable to forge me before I freeze over_** _"_ Continue the voice with a sad tone. " ** _I just want to hear my name over again, I almost forgotten it. It's been so long. My kingdom destroyed because of it… Please hear my name… It's…_** "

I didn't managed to understand the end because of the wind. From afar she was just a red blur. I wasn't close enough to really reach to her, to help her. There was a laugh, almost crazy, coming from her.

 _"_ _ **Please hear my name. Please. Please. Before it's too late. Hear my name! HEAR MY NAME**_ _"_ The red blur repeated. Over and over. Getting louder and laughing from madness even more. It felt like she has been in those chains for centuries. I tried to move more, but it was so cold. Everything was so cold and everything hurts. I couldn't stand it anymore and fell to the sand exhausted.

That's when I woke up, hearing the alarm of her cellphone. It was just 6:30 in the morning.

I was curled up inside my bed, with the quilt over myself completely. Inside it was so warm, but my body felt so cold. Letting a hand out, I took the cellphone at the night table and turned off the alarm. Silence. It was something that I always enjoyed.

Looking up at window behind. It was closed. But I still felt so cold. It was mostly dark yet thanks to the winter. I sighed and got myself up my bed.

"Three more months. Three more months and I'm free" I said to myself.

Turning on the night lamp beside the bed, it let out a soft light that didn't burn my eyes with clarity, but could actually see everything in the room, so I could get ready for school. I started gathering my things in autopilot mode, while my head went about the dream.

It was around summer that I stared having those dreams, but it was the first time that I actually could hear something and see someone in there, even if it was just a blur, I couldn't recall a voice like that in my life. Angry. Full of despair. Clearly mad. But strangely, seemed so familiar. I was trying to remember if I had heard that voice before.

However I was force myself back to reality when I opened the bedroom door to the corridor and got an even colder space around me.

" _Fuck!"_ I shouted out, low but fierce in English. It was in some way my first language, but with many years living and being raised in Japan, it had gone to a second, still like times like this I used more those curses than in Japanese.

Rushing to the bathroom, I closed the door and turned on the shower letting the water run. While hearing the water going down, I looked myself at the mirror showing a tired reflection. I blinked and then see at my reflection my dark brown eyes that at the moment looked someway lifeless with bags under them, I touched my round face, passing my hands through my pointy small nose and fine lips, my skin looked more tanned than usual thanks to the winter vacation, my hair even if it was messy it was still shinning its bright gold color, thin and long almost getting to my waist. I had the sensation of scratches all over my body from the sand of the dream but inspecting my skin there was nothing out of the ordinary, of course, it was just a dream. I tried to be careful while taking the oversized t-shirt, because most of the time I got hit with the low lamp all that thanks that I was taller than the average Japanese girl, 1.65 meters to be exact, my body resembled of a guitar, my chest wasn't that quite busty but there it was accord my body, my hips and thighs were more pronounced. Now with my clothes off, I inspected my skin, showing a few scars of several accidents I had suffered, but nothing serious. My bulky figure was obvious specially in my arms. One mark that I was happy about was the tattoo in my left arm, which its healing process had stopped a few months ago and now the colors looked bright and without irritation, starting in my shoulder with something that looked like an armor for that part with delicate lines decorating it then a straight line stopping in my elbow also looking like some kind of shield with also delicate lines, another line looking like an arrow ending in my hand. It was some piece of art. Even if I always had to hide it, good thing it was winter and only had to hid the hand.

I sighed while thanking gladly how the tempeture of the room was going up, feeling the cold leaving my body. I finished untangling her hair and went inside the shower, letting the water awake me.

After a few minutes I was awake, clean and ready, so I leaved the shower, took the things and run back to my room.

I took the winter uniform and a hoddie, it was common for me to wear it at this time of year. Just before I put on the jacket of the school, I started to hide the tattoo with a makeup tutorial I watched a few days back.

"It's actually very useful" I said to myself as I watched the finished product. It was like I had never gotten the tattoo and it didn't get stuck in anything. Amazing life hack. With the long sleeved shirt it was easy to hide the rest.

Then I put on a pair of thermic black stockings under the skirt, the blazer of the Karakura High School over the shirt and leaved the room to eat some breakfast downstairs.

I wasn't surprise to find my dad already making breakfast. Richards Gideon, was a man that looked typical like the American Boy in the movies. Tall, thin with charming brown eyes, wearing a square glasses, he had a beard well combed hiding a little his kind smile and his long hair perfectly brush put in a low ponytail, but more messier than mine, the gold color of it hiding the white hairs that has grown over the years. That was the heritage the man had given me, the bright color of his hair and his height, I was one of the tallest girls in my promotion, making me an obvious spot on everywhere I walked.

" _Now my bright ray of light has arrived!"_ My dad told to me when he noticed my arrival. I only laughed at his way to use my name in English, showing in fact his Australian accent. "Good Morning Akari, you slept well?" His accent speaking Japanese was obvious, but you could understand him well. Well of course after living more than 15 years in Japan you have to learn. He was showing a big smile, even reaching his tired eyes. He was the typical positive, happy person, always knowing what to do, what to say, even if exhausted himself. I give him a kiss in his cheek, getting on my toes to reach him, the man could easily pass the bar of 1.80 meters

"Good morning dad and yeah" I simply said, while getting ready the table and leaving the food there.

"That sounds like it's a different story" He knew me so well.

"I did sleep well, it's just… it was one of those vivid dreams where you feel everything?" I wasn't sure how to explain it and more tell him that it has been the same dream since months ago. He would freak out.

"Ah!" He seems to understand that. "Those can be tiring, well you have a full day of distractions" We were already sitting in the table, eating the amazing food my dad had made. "Are you are going to visit your grandma today?"

"Of course! She must be mad because we didn't spend New Year's with her! And she's going to be more mad with you because of it" I was sure to notice how my dad trembled about the idea. He respected his mother-in-law the same way he was afraid of her. "Don't worry dad! I'll make sure she doesn't attack you when you visit her!" I patted his head smiling.

"Please make sure that Hayami-san doesn't get mad" He was worried even he knew she wasn't going to do anything.

"I'll be sure" I smiled. It was funny that even after years knowing each other and in a way, she help him raising me, he was still afraid of her and her actions. Maybe because he was still trying to learn the politeness in the Japanese culture, even when he was better at that than me, but it was more the respect he felt towards the old lady. "Thanks for the food, everything was delicious!" Still smiling I got up, picking up the plates and leaving it in the sink. At that time, sunlight was already in the living room, getting a little bit of heat in the winter.

We chatted about some other things. Trivial stuff like things we were going to do that day. It was routine, but it was nice. When I finally cleaned the dishes it was almost 8, I hurried up to my room to grab the things and put the hoodie on. I grabbed all my accessories, my backpack and then went downstairs getting ready while leaving.

"Love you dad! See you at night!" I managed to hear a 'Love you back' from him while putting my shoes and leaved the house.

The way to school it was less than a half hour walk, but for making my usual stop before the school, would get me more time to arrive. I was still putting my earrings, bracelets and necklaces in the walk. It was a quiet morning. Some few people walking around and getting ready to their routines, some still waking up, dogs leaving for their early walk with their families and on. I put my shocker with a sun pendant on and also the necklace I always used under the uniform, but before hiding it I opened the little box to see the photo of my dad together with a beautiful woman, pale, with short black hair, her eyes closed while a laughter escaped from her lips completely captured in the picture, she looked a lot like my in some way. I smiled at the picture.

"Good morning, Okaa-san" I said to the picture, then closed it and hided it. I never really knew her, I was just five years old when Minagawa Kimiko, my mom, died of cancer. But there was a time when I could see her and feel her protecting us. Right now, I could only hope that she was in a better place.

I finally made it to my stop when I finished fixing my hair in a low ponytail. The big house that split part of it in a clinic, "Kurosaki's Clinic" it was able to read from the sign, and I walked directly to the front door. Knocking it, I could listen the morning voices of the Kurosaki family, short after a woman with a long shining orange hair, shorter in height than me but older opened the door.

"Akari-chan! So nice to see you are back!" She was smiling warmly like always, it made me smile back. She made a space to let me in. "Let me tell Kazui that you are here, wait inside, that I'm sure you are cold"

"Orihime-san! Thanks! It's been a while" I let myself in and when I did, Orihime hug me, feeling kind of uncomfortable because of her big breasts squashing my body, I was glad that I wasn't shorter than her anymore, or I would had die of asphyxia trapped between them, and then she attacked with questions.

"How was your winter vacation? Where did you go? You left so fast that it surprise me when Kazui told me!" We walked to the kitchen, where Orihime's husband was.

"Everything was great! We went to visit my family in Australia, it wasn't a plan! My dad just one day decided to go there, managed to get the vacations and then we leave the next day" I noticed a man with spiky orange hair, his bulky figure obvious in his casual clothes, he was eating and I greet him. "Ichigo-san! Good Morning and Bon appetite!"

The said man looked me up of his breakfast and let a tired smile spread in his face.

"Good Morning Akari, thanks, I thought you were leaving Kazui behind because of the hour" He simply said. His orange hair was as striking as his wife's. They both were running the little clinic that Kurosaki's father created, it was simple but really well accommodated to emergencies.

"Nah..." I shrugged "Then he gets lost in the process and I can't stand that" She mentioned joking.

"I'm going to get lost? I'm sorry but since when I need your help to get directions?" An annoyed voice said behind me. I only flipped my head and see the other orange haired and younger member of the family while smiling innocently. His hair was thin but short and his big amber eyes resembled more like his mother's, while his face and body looked more like his father's, Kurosaki Kazui was an equally mix between his parents, getting also the height of his father, reaching the 1.70 meters and still going up.

"I've a better sense of orientation that you do, Kazui" I pointed out.

"Of course, you know every building by how much you hit yourself with that thing running over the roofs and falling" In Kazui's face was now a smirk while mine could sense a frown.

"That's not fair! Chibi I-chi-go~" I was now facing him completely, exchanging gaze. I was aware of how much he hated that people compared to his father. There was no problem between them, but Kazui never liked that.

Before we could argue even more, Ichigo and Orihime's chuckle let them back to reality.

"You shouldn't be going to school by now? It's late" Ichigo said pointing the watch in the kitchen. It's 8:15.

"Damn! It's late! But before I forget!" I rushed to my backpack that was heavier than usual and looking thought its things I took a small box from it. "Here! A souvenir!" I let out to Orihime's hand.

"Aw, Akari-chan you shouldn't have bothered" She accepted the gift with a smile.

"No bother! You are like a second family to me, if I didn't bring you something I wouldn't forgive myself!" I said as I closed the backpack and stood up, heading to the door "Come on Kazui, see you later Ichigo-san, Orihime-san"

"Thanks for the gift Akari" I heard from Ichigo and Orihime unison, while Kazui was saying goodbye to his parents, we went outside and headed to school rushing over.

I had been knowing the Kurosaki family for almost a decade now. Thanks to living close to each other and of course attending the same schools. They helped my father in that problem of raising a kid alone in a total different culture that he was used to, other things that my grandmother couldn't help because of her age. We've been pretty united most of our lives, the only moments we didn't share was the summer camps that Kazui take almost every year where he disappeared completely of existence.

Kazui never had answered well about those. He says that he trains, but never went further than that. I never really pushed more because of his nervous state when asking about that, but it really never bother me. There were things in our lives that it was fine to leave in private. If he decided one day and tell me, then great, if not, was okay too. We pretty much shared all our time together, it was nice to have things to do alone with different people.

We were close to the school. The three story building was in front of us and we were still in time. Then I notice at a corner a small bottle with a flower upside-down. Somebody probably rushed over it. Making a signal to Kazui, I got close and turned over the bottle a fill it with a little bit of water that she had there, then putting back the flower. At that moment little boy, around ten, appeared looking up at Kazui and myself.

"Thank you!" He said with a big smile. "Not many people seems to notice me"

"Don't worry, we can see you, but you should be careful" I smiled a little and the kid sit there, glaring at us in certain curiosity like we were aliens.

Now walking inside the corridors, I couldn't think other thing that maybe we were aliens. The look from the kid was something that we had received it from many people more often than not. Of course, it was rather the people we could notice, heard the chains attached to their chest and we could even talked to them. Because as many things that Kazui and I shared, interacting with spirits it was one of them. Like the kid we just saw a few minutes ago.

* * *

Well this is the first chapter! I hope you enjoyed! I'm still writing this and there's still so much to write, I have like 10 chapters ready so let's see how it goes...

If you like it please comment! I publishing to see opinions and see what you think about it! I hope you like it! :D


	2. School Rivarly

Thanks to people that have view my story!

Kazui and the story of Bleach are by Kubo Tite

All the OC's presented are mine and just mine creation, as well as this story :D Enjoy!

* * *

We thought we were in time. We were wrong.

It wasn't that late. But the head teacher, Higuchi, was already inside making announcements. So we were late. Now we had to apologize to the class.

"I apologize for getting late and interrupt the class" Both, Kazui and I said, bowing at 90 degrees to the rest of their companions. It was something embarrassing to do and I could feel my face turning red, I was sure that Kazui was red too.

There was some quiet murmurs. Probably rumors. But finally everybody said that accepted the apologies. We stood up and went direct to our places. Kazui in the end close to the window, myself in front of him, in that I waved to my friends in front and at my right side: Furuta Hana and Nomura Emiko, they waved back shyly.

The teacher continued to tell some announcements, like dates to the final tests and how the final semester was going to be. It was the first day of the last semester of High School for us, so everybody was pretty excited about it.

I was glad that the teacher didn't ask to get off the hoodie, it was a pretty cold day and many of the classroom were also wearing something over the blazer. The morning went pretty much normal, nothing out of the ordinary. Paying attention to the classes, but sometimes my mind went to the dream of that night, like it was something important.

Without too much notice it was already time for lunch.

"Akari!" Emiko was still in front of me, but staring at me, waving a hand in front of my face. I didn't notice when the other turned around, then I watched her amber eyes, her dark brown hair braided at a side of her face, like Katniss in the Hunger Games, a bang covered all her forehead, her skin also light tanned, like mine "Are you listening?"

"To be honest… No" I giggle a little, clearly embarrassed.

"I knew that, your hands wouldn't stop moving" Emiko said, pointed at them, that's when I noticed and stopped the movement "Are you ok?"

"Yeah! Yeah… Just distracted" I showed a reassuring smile at her.

"Like always" Now it was Kazui who talked standing beside me "I still don't get how you manage to get attention to class when you are concentrated in other things"

"Magic!" Now I was being sarcastic and Kazui rolled his eyes.

"Hey guys, we should go to eat" Hana said shyly. She was really pale, big blue eyes that looked bigger with her round glasses and short black hair reaching her shoulders, she was shortest of our little group, but also the brightest of the promotion.

"Yes! I'm hungry!" Emiko said while all of us replied with "you are always hungry", taking her lunch and standing up.

I started standing up too, looking in my backpack for the lunch when I reached inside I find…Absolutely nothing.

"I forgot my lunch" I said. More to herself, but the group did heard her.

"Again?" Emiko said "We are just starting and you already forgot it?"

I still smiled clearly embarrassed. It was more common than not. In fact it was weird when I didn't forget my lunch.

"Maybe in your locker there are some noodles you leave the past month, Minagawa-chan" Hana said.

"True! Thanks for remind me! But before you go ahead" Now that I was standing up and I had them in front of me, I opened her arms and embrace them in a group hug happily "I missed you guys so much!" Hana let out some sound like a squeak and a snort from Kazui and Emiko.

"We missed you too! Now you are giving too much love! Let us go!" Emiko almost shouted.

"Sure, sure" I let them go, smiling.

"Aw look, all the freaks are united to make their satanic work!" My smile dropped when I heard on the other side of the classroom a group of girls laughing like it was the best joke in the world. The one who talked, Abe Miko, was a dark haired, skinny, average height girl, with high pitched voice and was always surrounded with girls and boys like her, it was the group that was always up to criticized others and recently our group were their new toy.

"Hey fake, why don't you go and buy a good makeup that I almost confuse you with the wall with how bad it was" Emiko said before anyone of them could said anything.

"Nomura-chan!" Hana said surprised. Kazui and I were also surprised for the answer. Usually it was me who responded that way, but looked like Emiko wasn't getting any shit from anybody that day.

There was gasp and then a moment of silence between the groups. I could swear that saw Miko's eyes twitched a little. Then she hurried to her things to really see if it was true. We didn't wasted any moment and hurried outside the classroom before Miko attacked us, then we went separated ways so I could get her lunch.

In my way to the lockers, I started thinking about Miko and why decided to pick on us. I felt like it was mostly my fault. All those years in the same school, she and her group never bother us, we were more of helping the others and never Miko, but still we never bothered them, all change the past year with Oshiro.

"Ugh. That fucking asshole" I was already in front of the locker and started searching for the noodles. After searching I found two packages yet, taking one and then I heard someone near. I peeked to see who it was and let out a growl. Speaking of the devil.

"Now, you don't have to be that mean to me" Oshiro Ikaru was taller than me, the same height as Kazui, fit, brown curvy hair and really starling grey eyes. He was pretty. Every girl in the promotion wanted to date him. What a great mistake.

" _Fuck off, Asshole"_ I said coldly in English, closing the locker.

"Aw, Akari-chan~ you can be so cold sometimes, do you forget the moments we have?" He sounded so dramatic but at the same time like it didn't really matter.

"I told you that I don't want to address me by my name anymore, it is Richards to you, Oshiro" I told him to his face. I sounded bitter, I know it but really I didn't care.

"Really? Wow even using your real last name, that's too far" There was a smirk in his face. Oh, how he loved to watch me like that, always putting me on my nerves "I don't know, I recall very well how you wanted me you call you my Akari-chan" I cringed when he said it. I closed my free hand in a fist. Thinking that it could be so fast. A hit directly to his nose, he wouldn't see it and boom! Broken nose. But no, not in the school.

"You call me like that again, and I swear, that your face will need a recovery operation" I started to leave "Oh" I turned over to see him "I would really like to hear what your grandfather think of that, you know, how you are going to explain it to him when it happens" Before a left the room, I could notice how went tense. Now I was smirking, he knew how to hurt me, well me too.

Oshiro Ikaru was the new kid two years ago. A transferred student. But I knew him even before for my work in his grandfather workshop, we really never talked that much in there, but I had some kind of crush in him. So, when he got in the High School, I went at my best and try to get together so he could be part of my group of friends. He used to be a really nice guy, he got well with everybody in the class, so he wasn´t always with us, but it was nice to have him close. Of course, my crush on him just got intensified, it was strange to actually have feelings for somebody and I felt that we could have something.

And we did.

We actually did. Past year, after the winter vacation, we dated, we spend a lot of time together. I was happy, I felt great. It was quite long. Almost nine months. Everything went to crumble when he found out that I could see and talk with spirits, I never wanted him to find out, but it happened at the worst way. And he freaked out so much and ´crazy´ was the most eased term he used against me. Few days later everybody knew my secret and just because Hana, Emiko and Kazui were my friends, people assumed that they too could see spirits. I mean, Kazui could, but Emiko and Hana couldn´t, they were actually surprised when we tell them that day that we could. It was something supposed to keep it in secret, something just between Kazui and me, but no. Ikaru went from perfect prince charming to greatest jerk on earth in matter of days. His new best friend: Miko.

I sighed at my thoughts, while putting water at my noodles and heating it in the microwave. It was my first relationship but I give in so much. I fell hard, really hard and it hurt a lot. The microwave beeped and I took my now warm lunch, feeling a little bit better for the heat in my hands. I walked fast to the roof, where I knew my friends would it be.

Now in the roof, I could sense the heat from the sun, while seeing my friends chatting.

"Oi Akari-chan, you finally get- Hey what's wrong?" Kazui features softened, making him look more like his mother.

"What?" I replied.

"You look angry, Minagawa-chan" Hana continued what Kazui was about to say. That moment I noticed that my frown was down. While sitting down close to them I relax it.

"Oshiro found me at the lockers" I simply said while started eating. They already finished with their food. I could see the look of disgust in their faces.

"That pervert now looks like he is stalking you! I mean he doesn't have anything better to do?" Emiko said, exasperated.

"What can I tell you?" I sighed "I warned him if he dares to talk me as freely as he do, I wouldn't respond for my actions" I continued eating, letting the food to give me energy and happiness.

"I seriously pity him and the trouble he will get when that happens" Now Kazui said.

"He deserve it, he is an ass" Emiko said while getting off her jacket. Now noticing I was the only one wearing it.

"Even I have to second that" Hana said in a low tone "After what he did to you and how still acting towards you, Minagawa-chan, is really rude"

"Yeah, but really I just really want him to not notice me, not talk to me, nothing I mean! Ironically, the only place he doesn't dare to do anything is in Oshiro-sensei workshop, is where I can find peace!" I finished the noodles, now feeling better.

"Well Oshiro-san respect you more that he respect his grandson" Kazui said "Specially after everything you have done in there"

"It's sad how those two can't get alone" Hana said "I mean they are family after all"

"I swear they were like that before everything happened" I let out my hands in sign of peace.

"We can recall of what you told us before" Kazui continued "Also, speaking of Oshiro-san, are you going to work today? They let us to clean the classroom after finishing the day"

I let a groan out "It's because we got late?" Kazui just nodded for affirmation. I groaned more "This day is going to be eternal"

"You didn't answer the question"

"Yeah! Sorry… No, I'm not going to work today, but I'm going in that direction, I have to visit my grandma" I was going to get late to my grandmother house and I need it to get well with her, so it was going to take long.

"You have? Not you are" They said, narrowing their eyes at me. I usually visited my grandma often, even have my own room with change of clothes and everything.

"I… My dad and I, we weren't here for New Year… We just got back last week" I said embarrassed and I could feel the terror in their eyes.

"You left Minagawa-san alone?!" Hana said terrified.

"Girl… You are so dead" Emiko was laughing.

"I… I know" I looked down at the floor defeated.

I could hear Emiko laughing more of my suffering. We all knew each other families, so they knew the kind of character Minagawa Hayami had. Even at her 90 years, she was still active and challenging woman, with pride and always reflecting respect. She had many sons, four to be exact, but just one daughter, my mom, so she always felt closer to her than any of his sons, and my mom actually always took care of her, we got closer to her more than other member of the family. So, we didn't spend New Year's with her, it was kind of a big, really big deal.

"Just so you know, we loved you very much and I hope I get your laptop" Kazui said while putting one of his hand in my shoulders, trying to make a sympathetic smile but failing at it, because he was holding on a laugh . Emiko just laughed more and Hana started too.

"Idiot! I always knew that you only love me just for my things!" I shouted, but started laughing too "Then! You will not have the presents I gladly bought for you, now that I know that you don't care for me!" I let my drama queen side flow, trying to look hurt, but failing miserable. Everybody jumped out to the word 'presents' and started to say sorry and get over me just to get them, then they were questioning about what it was and things like that after I told them that I was going to give it to them after school.

Lunch was over and we got back to the classroom, still talking about things we did in the vacations. By then I was the only one in the room with a jacket over the uniform, didn't make a difference I was still feeling cold and keep the hoodie on, that was already normal in me.

The rest of the day went normal. After all the classes finished, I gave to Kazui, Hana and Emiko their gifts, they were happy about it, after Emiko and Hana leaved to their clubs, Kazui and I, and two more classmates started the process of cleaning the classroom.

It was kind of a tedious work, because it hasn't been cleaned profound since a month ago. After a little bit more of an hour, the room was shining clean and the four of us were immensely tired, we finished organizing the desks and by the time we were finally done, it was past five. Kazui and I headed to the entrance of the school, talking and seeing yet students cleaning their classrooms.

"You don't want me to join you to Minagawa's?" The orange haired asked me.

"What? Why?" I was sure that I looked confused.

"Well… It's kinda late and…" I didn't let him finish, because I hit him in the head "What was that for?!"

"Since when you 'join me' to my grandma's?!" I exclaimed. The only occasion he did accompany to my grandma's house it was because she wanted to see him or he was sending her something from his father, that because Ichigo was in some way her private doctor.

"Oh come on is not that weird that I asked! And it's getting late! And it's a bad part and…" He stopped talking when he fixated in my 'are you kidding' face.

"I've been going _alone_ to my grandma's since I was twelve, do you really think I can't protect myself? Also you are going to walk more! You have to cross half town and the river, I just had to walk 15 minutes tops" I narrowed my eyes and looked up intensely to Kazui, who now was with an apologetic smile. I was still annoyed by the fact that in the last few years he had managed to grow taller than me, he was just a few centimeters taller, the top of my head reaching to his nose, but still.

"Ok, ok my bad" Showing his hand in form of peace "You didn't have to react like that!"

I just looked him still annoyed, turned around and waved him goodbye.

"See you tomorrow, _mate"_ I told him by afar, just flipping my head to watch him also waving goodbye smiling, because he knew that I would watch him. I returned my view to what it was in front of me, going in the complete opposite direction of my house.

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Hi! I hope you enjoy the second chapter! Is slow for now I know, but first I wanted you to know my OC's so can get use to them :D I hope you like it! In case you didn't notice I will post chapter weekly, that way I can be ahead writing while I publish !


	3. Family Heritage

It's update Sunday! Sunday Update? Idk... It's time for update! But first!

I want to thank to people that have view my story! And I'm really happy about my two followers :DD! Thank you very much! I hope you keep enjoying this story :D

Kazui and the story of Bleach are by Kubo Tite

All the OC's presented are mine and just mine creation, as well as this story :D Enjoy!

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I looked up in my backpack my phone and connected the headphones, so I could center in my world and nothing else. My grandma's house was in the Yumisawa district, really close to the school than to my house, so I always ended walking there instead of going to my house that I preferred to use the bus. The most problematic thing was the a hill, surrounded by old and/or abandoned houses and construction sites, so most of the time gangs and things like that would get together to do whatever criminal activities they do. Not only that, I couldn't just be careful with the living monsters, but also the dead, in most of the cases the ghosts didn't do anything, but I know that if they spend too much time in their sorrows, they could hurt other ghosts and people like Kazui and me.

Hollows that's how my grandma called them. Was for her family line that I could see spirits, all kinds of spirits and had given me trouble all my life, but Hollows, only from afar, however even from afar I could heard their screams and growls, it was absolutely terrifying.

I sighed, I never wanted these… gifts? More like curses. In most of the cases it was pain and problems, a lot of ghosts knew that I could see them, so they look for me for help. And it's really frustrating when they ask you for help and you don't know _how_. In other cases the idea of Hollows frightened me, hoping that I never got searched for one of them and then was the Shinigamis.

I thought I had only see one, long time ago, when my mother died. But it's a vague blur in my memory, I knew a little of what they do, how they helped the ghosts in the process of passing, but that's it. That's all my grandma had told me, anyway.

The street of the hill was empty, surprisingly. The sky had deep red and orange colors in it. At that hour, people was starting to leave work, so I was surprised to find it alone, not even were spirits around there. Have they finally found peace? Or I just passed to another dimension without notice?

I didn't get an answer, but could see now my grandma's house, making me smile. It was an old Japanese styled house, one of the few that wasn't an inn or abandoned in Karakura Town, of course, even if it was just my grandmother and her caretaker, Alice, living there. The wall protecting the inside weren't that tall, but it wasn't necessary, everybody in that area new Minagawa Hayami, the old woman who speaks with ghosts and, how many people like to put it, with the devil. But putting that aside, people were scared of her character and her stories of the past.

If I didn't hurry up, I was going to face that horrible side, I did hurry up and before crossing the street to get to the house I felt a pressure that wasn't letting me move, at all, not even a blink. Not even breathe. It was a panic attack? No, it wasn't. It's been almost a year since I had one, but it felt like it, it felt even worse than it. I didn't understand how I was still at my feet, because I was feeling that in any moment I could fall. And I did, the very moment that I felt the pressure gone.

I manage to fall to my knees and support myself with my hands, gasping for air. I was staring at the floor in shock, trying to make my breath even, but it was difficult, it felt so difficult at the moment.

'Ha! Now you are having a panic attack!' I could hear a little voice in my head mocking me, but I wasn't gonna let it. Starting to count to ten a few times, seeing that I wasn't in danger, thinking that everything was under control and focus in the music I was listening, finally I could breathe with normalcy.

I got myself up, with my legs still trembling a little, watching my surroundings and finding absolutely nothing. Nothing was broken or shattered, everything was the same.

"Maybe I was having a panic attack after all…" There was no more explanation apart of that. Everything looked so calm. Seeing up I could see the blackness of the night appearing. Sighing again in that day, I walked to the wooden entrance of the house and finally inside the house, were always have the feeling of safety, no matter what and in that moment, it was really welcoming.

Almost as welcoming as a hit in the head with a fan just entering the house. I didn't even have the chance to say that I was there when I got hit and let lying on the floor with a horrible headache.

"How you dare to get at this hour in my house, after leaving me for a month alone!" A raspy voice said above me.

"It wasn't a…" I couldn't finish my defense just I got hit, again by her fan, in my head, losing completely my headphones to the floor too.

"AND YOU DARE TO MAKE EXCUSES!" There was rage in the old woman's voice. "You let this poor old woman alone, without telling me in advance! I could have died! And you won't even notice!" She continued to hit me in the head, just because I was still down on the floor, letting a pained moan out.

"OBA-SAN I BRING YOU PRESENTS!" I don't know how but I managed to get from my backpack a huge pack of gifts and showing it to her like it was an offering to a royal family so she would stop hitting me in the head.

A heart beat passed, then another, at the third at was just going to accept my faith. But then a heard the fan being opened and I let out a breath I didn't know I was contained.

"Oh~ My Akari-chan always so kind! ~" I felt the package leave my hands "Oh! This is heavy! Alice-chan could you please help me with this?" Now the little woman was playing the delicate, something very common in her when things were getting in her way. That moment I could finally sit down and look up to her, patting the new bump in my head.

Minagawa Hayami was an old woman not much taller than me sitting, reaching just 1,45 meters, she use to be taller, but with time she had just grown shorter, even at her 90's she was well composed, her white hair with a few surviving black hairs that looked like a line at her right side well combed in a bun. Her brown eyes, like mine, looked excited at the gifts in her left hand that was the fan before now hide it inside the sleeves of her simple blue kimono, supporting herself with a fine wooden cane in her right hand.

I smiled seeing the almost childish excitement in my grandma's face, at that moment, Alice appeared in the room.

"Akari-san! It's great to see you again!" The caretaker smiled at me as she took the package, her curvy brown hair moving free, with kind amber eyes, her round face and dark freckles sticking out in her pale skin. She was ten years older than me and had been taking care of my grandma since three years ago, and neither of them seemed to grow bored of each other.

"Good to see you too, Alice! Please you need to drop the formalities" It was an eternal battle for me to get Alice drop her formalities, I love her like a big sister, but spending most of the time with my grandma, it's almost impossible to drop those ideas "There are presents for you as well! They have your name" Now she looked grateful too. It's always nice to bring the feeling of Christmas morning.

"Come on Akari-chan, Alice was finishing making the tea" The old lady was now going outside to the little table at the porch that let a view of the still quite frozen garden.

"Sure Oba-san~" I finally put everything inside my backpack and took off my shoes, so I could enter the house. The interior was really minimalistic, even having most of the necessary things in the principal rooms so it would be easy for Hayami to walk around. It was a big house, but only three bedrooms were actually in use, aside for the kitchen and living room.

Now outside at the porch seeing the frost garden in front of me, I seated in one of the pillows around the low table, on the other side was my grandma and not much after, Alice came alone with the tea, biscuits and sweets.

The three of us started chatting about everything and nothing as we were eating, especially about the few weeks I wasn't there, tell it them about the trip and showing the pictures in my phone. My grandma have never let Japan before, so it was interesting to see what opinions she had about a country so different than the one she knew.

Night had fallen upon us and we were just appreciating the silence in that part of the town, a few perks of being far of the city. My grandma stoop up with a pleased smile in her face, when she noticed my curious looks she waved her hand.

"You are not the only one to bring a few presents, please Alice help me to bring them" Alice nodded at her and also stood up, getting ahead of her.

"But my birthday is in three months?" I was confused, usually she waited always for the day to giving it them to me not matter what, it was a strange act of the old lady.

"You'll see my dear" She simply said while getting away.

"What is she planning?" I narrowed my eyes thinking all the possibilities. The old lady wasn't the kind of give her pranks, too serious for that and always aiming for direct things. She looked happy with the idea of the presents, so it couldn't be something bad.

Not much after, Alice was back with Hayami close to her. Alice had in her hands a large wooden box, not in the best state, which only make me more concerned, while my grandma was carrying a blue box with a white ribbon, it was big put quite flat.

They put the both boxes on the empty table and my grandma approach me first the blue box.

"I'm giving you this two presents, because, this one…" She pointed at the blue box "Is something I want you to use for your graduation celebration, and this one…" Then she pointed at the wooden box "It's… A little challenge, something I hope that you can make before your birthday"

"Sure" I looked suspicious about the wooden box, so I decided to open the blue box first, that now that I detailed better, it had painted in it flowers like a Sakura tree, it was so delicate and beautiful. I untangled the ribbon and put up the top of the box only to shriek of joy at the sight of the present.

It was a kimono, surely a Furisode, which looked so extremely delicate and so magnificent done that I wouldn't dare to touch it. For what I could see it was mostly black, with white, gold and tones of red patters of Sakura flowers and fans. Even had an obi mostly with rich bright yellow color looking like gold, the sandals and the accessories for the hair. I was in shock, in awe, I couldn't describe how I felt at the moment.

"Well, you are going to take it out?" Alice said. I could see my grandma's and Alice's excitement, it was almost like mine.

"I-I can't, it looks too perfect folded, I mean it's so gorgeous…" Now that I noticed, it was probably a really expensive furisode, I know that my grandpa left my grandma with a big heritage, but this was too much.

"Don't look at me like that, my dear" The old lady smiled kindly at me, knowing what I was thinking "I know that your mother would love to give you something like this herself, at my times I waited for be twenty when my parents give me one like this, but times change and I'm doing the same thing I did my dear Kimiko, because education it's first and the most important thing" She sounded so proud. I almost break in happy tears but my admiration for the clothes were stopping me "You don't have to take it out, I'm sure it will fit you well, I'm going to keep it here if it's no problem"

"Of course no, Oba-san! It's so gorgeous! I cannot express how much I love it!" I closed the box, stood up, walked at her and hug her tightly "Thank you so much! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" I repeated it a few more times, then a sit there close to her.

"Now the wooden box" My grandma said while putting it close to me "I know it doesn't look very good, it's the age, you see, this is something that have been passed through the women in the family for almost 200 years" My eyes widened of surprise for how long whatever it what was inside was, Alice looked intrigued by the story too, so she probably didn't know neither what it was "You know that my family had this strange thing of only have one daughter, only from the daughter before or you haven't notice it?"

Now that I notice it, she was right, my grandma had another bother, but only my grandma had a daughter, my mom, and she, from all the brothers she had, I was the only girl between all my cousins. I furrowed my brows. What were the odds?

"Ah so you notice it" She said with such calmness in her voice "That's why we never had a fight over it, it could only pass between mother and daughter, sadly I had to give it twice, once to your mom and now to you" Then she hand me the wooden box. I took it, it wasn't as heavy as I expected.

I was holding my breath. I didn't know why I was holding it, but I was. I could feel something strange from it, certain warm, something calling me. Letting out my breath I slide the top of the box I looked inside, feeling wonder.

Inside there was a cushion and on top an old katana, quite large for a normal one. It was antique, quite well preserved even after such long time. The sheath was red with black line in the middle, with two plaques of gold in the top and the end, the wood was quite broken but surprisingly with not mustiness even if it felt warm inside it. At the top of the hilt were a short chain with a pendant, softly I took it with my hand to see better what it was, it was well marked sun, rust had taken the bright color of the steel as well for the gold. I took the katana out of the box carefully. The hilt was also with gold in the tsuba, and octagon with square holes, very precise, but also rusted for the years, red lines of yarn around the holes. The handle itself was black with red thread.

It was a really basic katana, but coming that it was almost 200 years old, it means that it was made for samurais and that was enough for me to love it. My heart was pounding of excitement because I love this things, I was practicing to be a blacksmith and always loved to create things with iron, steel, gold, silver and other materials. I worked more in jewelry, sometimes Oshiro-sensei let me in a few works of details of the forging of the katana, the hard work of the blade was something that I had yet to learn but the process was something I had yearn to do. So having a masterpiece in my hands was something that blew me away.

I was so focused in the details, that I didn't notice something off in the balance. Now I did notice it. It felt really light, the blade didn't felt right inside the sheath. I took of the hilt rather easily and my heart sink when I looked at the blade.

"… It's broken…" Moving the sheath upside-down carefully in the cushion inside the box, all the pieces of the blade fell off it. It was broken and the humidity had let it really rusted. It was awful to see such a piece of art in that terrible state. A hand in my shoulder let me back to reality, where I was in the garden in my grandma's house with her and Alice watching me, Alice looked saddened with how I reacted, but my grandma looked with a determination I didn't know she had, her hand was giving me force in some strange way.

"I knew it was broken, it happened a little before your mother died" That wasn't creepy at all, nope "But here is the challenge" My grandma looked hopeful at me, smiling "It's not the first time that this blade had been broken, it's had been send it before to forge it again" I looked concerned and before I could ask, she lifted her hand from my shoulder and put a finger close to my mouth, to keep it quiet and then lifted a piece of paper that looked quite better than the sword "Here are all the things that were used before to forge it the first time it broke, I recently rewrite it so it doesn't get lost, but the thing is, I followed where I could buy the materials and everything so when I could give the sword to you, it would be in a better shape" She sighed

"Then why it's not repaired?" Alice took my thoughts and make it words, looked like both of us were totally focused in the story.

"That's because when I bought all the materials, the family that always repair it, it's no longer working in blacksmithing so I couldn't do much of it" She shrugged about the idea.

"So my challenge is… Repair it?" I didn't know how I was feeling about the idea. I looked at my grandma and she smiled at me, sure of her decision. I was feeling nervous, excited and scared, everything was completely mixed together "But I really haven't work completely in a katana before! I just help in simple things, I should tell Oshiro-sensei if he could do it"

"Akari" I heard her but I didn't stopped.

"I mean, he's been doing that for I don't know how many years! He is probably capable of have it in better shape!"

"Akari, darling"

"If you give me the materials, I probably can do something, but the blade oh no, I don't think I'm really capable of…"

"AKARI!" Not only had her voice stopped the rambling, but the hit of her fan in my free hand, I moaned and put it close to me, looking at the old lady with pout, now listening "I think you are actually capable of repair it, I always noticed and you have said it yourself, you are very talented with all that kind of work, since you were a little girl" She was still smiling at me, with that proud smile that always show to me when she was sure that I could make everything I planned to do. Even if I wasn't sure if I could make it. Like now.

"You really think I can make it?" I looked at her and then to the broken katana.

"Of course you can my dear!" Her voice was full of confidence "You always stand up to challenges and win! Or you forget how stubborn you were with Oshiro-san so he could finally accept and teach you in his store? Or how you didn't give up a fight?" She took the sword and put it gently back in the box, then took my hands "Your hands are the greatest tools for making the amazing art you do, not only that but also to fight for what you want, this katana it's something I know you can do without problem"

I looked at my scarred hands, all those were symbols of hard work and protection. They were many hours of training martial arts and working with fire, of persistence and force. I felt a bust of confidence, stoop up with energy and smirked with the thought of restoring back the katana.

"I'll do it!" I shot out "I'll restore it back to its glorious look! Even if I last years doing it!"

There was a pause of silence before I heard Alice clapping at the idea. It was rather comical because of the pose of triumph I was it, ready to take the world.

"That's good my dear, but really, you should really do it before your birthday" My grandma said calmly, putting back katana inside its sheath and putting it in the box, then closing it and finally stood up from her place.

Now there was a complete silence that I didn't like at all. Only a few crickets sounding from afar while the old lady get inside the house.

"Akari, you should go inside before you catch a cold" My grandma simply said.

"DON'T CHANGE DE SUBJECT LIKE THAT! HOW THE HELL DO YOU EXPECT THAT I WILL FINISH THIS KATANA IN THREE FUCKING MONTHS!" I managed to dodge a direct attack of a sandal going to my face "AND DON'T ATTACK MY FACE OBA-SAN!"

"Such a language! I'm sure I didn't teach you that!" She was shaking her head "Your father even have better modals than you"

"Don't. Change. The. Subject!" I walked inside the house, now in front of her I looked down so I could see her eyes, at this position it was obvious how small she was now, her head just reaching at my chest.

"Don't make me repeat myself! You have to do it before your birthday, I think if you repair it with the basics it's enough" She was moving her cane at me.

"The basics? THE BASICS?!" Now I was yelling, thank god that she didn't have any neighbors "I'm not going to repair a 200 year old katana with just the basics!"

"It will be enough Akari, I know that" She was confident with the idea. I wasn't

"It's ruining a masterpiece!" I was exasperated "It's an insult to a masterpiece!"

"Akari! Listen, I know you don't understand but you have to trust me, the basics will be enough!" A thick bump sounded when she hit the floor with her cane.

I was angry, why everything has to be so weird in this house! Nothing was simply and the worst part it's that I didn't know the reason and that just frustrate me more.

"BAH! Whatever! It's late! I have to get back to my house!" I was heading to the door, but poke of the cane of my grandma stopped me "What?!" I flipped around.

"You should stay here, like you say it's really late, I don't want you wandering around like a lost soul"

I counted to three. Sighed and then nodded in agreement. She knew how to get me off my tracks.

"Let me help you gather everything to my room" I said to no one in particular, before going back out to the table at the porch and took the box with the kimono on top of the box with the katana.

I could feel how Alice just went to help my grandma in her night routines and smiled a little at the duo, it was nice to have someone accompany her in this big house. I headed to my room, achieved to slide the door with my feet and then entered to how I left it a few weeks ago. I let the boxes on the low table, close to the doors that headed to the garden. Back of the table was a futon large enough for two people, at the other side of the room was a closet and a taller table with things for simple crafting just to do in my spare time.

It was simple and rather empty than my room back in my father house, but here I just had the necessary.

I went to one of the drawers outside the closet to put something to change and sleep. I found a black long sleeved shirt and a big warm pants. I change it and just decided to go to sleep already, not watching the night sky for me tonight. I felt exhausted. Sliding the door inside the house, I wished goodnight to Alice and my grandma, they were close and I heard back the goodnight, sliding close the door I headed to the futon with my cellphone, texting my dad that I was staying in grandma's, after receiving the 'ok' I put it in the night table beside the bed, then laying down in the futon and felt my head drive away after putting the quilt over me, giving me warm to my body.

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What do you think? I hope you like it! I promise soon we'll have our favorite Captain around :D

Also I've been wondering you are understanding everything all right? English is not my first language and I just want to make sure that everything is right :D well...

See you next week!


	4. Bad luck just happens to be around

Tiiiiime for sunday updateeeeee! Yey!

Hello my darlings! How are you? How you been? I hope well :D It's time to update and that means it's time to know more about Akari! :D We are starting the weird stuff let's see how it goes!

Thanks a lot to Rene Miashi for faving and give me a review! It make me really happy and want to get going! But anyway, enough of me!

Let's back to Akari :D

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This was a different dream.

At this moment I still couldn't understand how I was capable to be conscious enough to know that. But this wasn't the dream that have been repeated in the few last months.

It was different, more threatening and more horrifying.

An old Japanese castle, I thought it could be compared in sized as the Imperial Castle, was on fire. Some places the structure already down for how intense the flames were, I was between the house and the walls outside, feeling the heat so close to me and so real, almost burning me. There were people screaming for their lives, trying to survive the heat and smoke, but failing miserable. I could only look at everything with horror.

"Ah, finally" A male grave voice sounded behind me, starling me. I turn around to see the person that speak so calmly, like nothing was happening at all, like it didn't matter. The man looked taller than me, a large black coat with no sleeves but with a hood hiding completely his face except for his mouth that had an evil smirk, he was wearing a black hakama too. He looked well trained and his bare arms were full of scars, like they were made from blades. "So you are the bitch who has her, I rather disappointed"

"What…?" I couldn't finish my sentence before he disappeared from my sight and before I could even blink a hand was holding my neck and pushing me to the floor. When my head hit the floor with an immense force I tried to scream of pain, but I couldn't fell any air in my lungs. My eyes widened in panic at the man in front of me, from his hand I felt a burning sensation like it was a red hot metal, I didn't know how I could bear the pain I felt at that moment, I put my hands in his arm trying to get him off me, in that position now I could see that the right part of his face was covered in bandages and his left eye was red like the flames among us.

"Well look at that, you can endure heat, what if I go a little more up, bitch?" The sadistic smirk grown a little more as I felt the heat in his hand went up, making me scream with the little air I had left "So sad I can't kill you yet because I don't know where that fucking demon is, but don't worry, once I get her, her hell will be nothing compared to what I'm going to do to her and to you, for taking her from me" His red eye was looking at me amused, it was a terrified view "I'll visit you later, Akari" He spat my name as it was an insult. Then still holding my throat he put my head a little up and hit me again against the floor, instantly knocking me out.

I woke up gasping for air and sitting up. Started coughing up putting a hand in my neck, still feeling the burning sensation in it. It felt so real, like if I just really got burned up. Trembling from head to toes, I stood up from the futon, holding me with the night table that felt hot. Carefully I walked to the mirror, looking confused when I find it steamy, I gulped but getting it off my thoughts I moved a hand to take off the steam from it and then stared at my reflection astonished to find… Nothing.

No burning scars, no hand marks, no nothing, just cold sweat all over me, soaking my night clothes.

But other than that, just my scared reflection, glaring at my neck that had nothing but just a feeling.

"A real sensitive feeling" I told myself as I touched my neck and felt the sting of pain, but there was nothing to really felt hurt. My brain was probably playing with me, trying to get off the nightmare.

The alarm of my cellphone went off, telling me that it was time to wake up and get ready for school. School. It seemed so normal after that hell of a nightmare. After turning it off, I felt the tiredness of my body, sure that I didn't rest a single moment of the night. Taking attention to the futon looked like a mess, everything kind of wet from the sweat, that wasn't normal for me. But it didn't matter. It was just a nightmare _._ Now I need it to repeat it until I really believed it.

I decided to first go to eat, the terror had leave me starving. Sliding the door open I went to the kitchen, everything still dark notifying that my grandma and Alice were still asleep. Quietly I went to the kitchen, turning on the switch giving light to the room, that way I could prepare breakfast for all, because I knew that they were going to get up soon.

Preparing the food help me to distract myself and get order of my thoughts, I wanted to think that it was just dream and things from my imagination, but my part of seeing spirits was tingling like crazy making me nervous as if that was the problem. That all was real and that be aware of ghosts and the dreams were connected.

Hearing a set of doors open and close, make me aware that probably Alice was already awake. After a few minutes of preparations for the breakfast, I could hear Alice helping my grandma in the other room while I was finishing making it. By the time the food was in the different plates, Alice was inside the kitchen setting the table.

"Good Morning Akari-san! Slept well?" Alice said while getting everything ready.

"Mmhm" I mumble, just to say I was good. "You?"

"Yeah! And it's surprising, every time you sleep here, the house always feels warmer" She smiled kindly at me and I did the same with the thought.

"Morning, Oba-san, you slept well?" I said while putting my plate and sitting to, Alice had managed to get everything in there.

"Ah yes, what Alice says it's true, you bring warmness with you always, my dear Akari" She sounded a little sleepy, but was happy. At that moment her white hair free over her shoulders.

"That's an exaggeration" I flipped my hand a little embarrassed and after thanking for the food, we ate in peace and silence.

A little past 7 a.m., I finished eating, went to clean my dishes and finally get ready for school. I was still with a lot of time ahead, probably would get early there, it sounded great, so I went to gather the thing so I could shower and leave the uniform in the bed. However, as I know that sometimes destiny hates me, my surprise was to find that in the closet there was no extra uniform.

" _Shit_ " I started inspecting the closet more profound, there was another hoddie, sport clothes and normal clothes, but nothing from school. "It can't be! I always have a spare here!" I continued the search in the drawers and still nothing "FUCK! I didn't bring one before…" I face palm myself really hard that It actually hurt. I remember that I was going to bring a few in the winter vacation, but with the trip and everything I couldn't and I totally forgot and now…

"I DON'T HAVE MY UNIFORM FOR TODAY, FUCKING SHIT!" I screamed at the top of my lungs for my stupidity.

"Akari, language!" I heard my grandma from afar.

"Sorry Oba-san!" I said low but I knew she could heard me. Cursing over and over, I took one of the sport clothing and put that. Now I didn't have time to loose, if I wanted to get to school at time, I need it to leave now so I could catch a bus to the other side of the city, cross the river, get ready and then run back again so I can arrive in time.

Putting the clothes and a hoodie, leave my dirty uniform in the bed and grabbed my backpack with everything inside as fast I can, I took my now charged cellphone and leave the room.

"Sorry for the abuse, but I left my uniform in the bed for cleaning, if you could please and thank you very much" I bowed at a confused Alice and continued talking "That way I don't forget my uniform in home again! I need to hurry!" I stood up and headed back to the door, putting my shoes and leaving with a goodbye to the two women inside.

While running downhill, I called my father to notifying him, if I was fast enough I could take the bus that went to my house and be there in half an hour. I run fast as I could without tripping over, I was close to the stop, almost smiling feeling that I could make it. But again, destiny seemed to like it to torture me.

Just as I was close, the bus was already leaving.

"HEY! STOP!" I tried to reach it, but at that hour the traffic was nonexistent and went fast. " _FUCK_ " I let out frustrated. For god's sake, it was just too early to fuck my day.

Doubting for a moment what to do. I promised Kazui to not do running around the abandoned buildings. I looked at the way, a bunch of houses close enough of each other and it was the greatest shortcut through the city at foot. I could make it to my house, clean myself and turn back.

" _Fuck this shit_ " I mumble and started running to one of the alleys. I had enough warm-up while running downhill, now it was time to practice some parkour.

I usually do that when I was calm and for distraction. Running through the city it was a free sentiment that I learned to love too, maybe even too much for my own good. It was freedom and adrenaline mixing together creating an amazing feeling, of course it had help me more than once when a bunch of guys tried to get funny with me and I was clearly outnumbered. So I knew what to do in cases like this, where I was thinking just in get somewhere else in a flash.

Climbing walls, jumping between low buildings and running through roofs, I made my way through the city. Now and then I could see a few spirits in the abandoned places, but I was just focused in my way.

Now I was close the shopping area and the river was visible, I looked at my phone to see the hour, it was 7:45, I was still on time and I need it to get on low levels so I could reach the street and then running flat to cross the bridge. I started doing so, looking getting lower. At the moment I was in what it looked like a parking lot, still closed surprisingly, I was on the first floor and at the end was an alley that made it to a house, I could jump it and then finally hit the street.

I started running faster so that way I could reach the momentum I need it. However, I felt a burning sensation in right my arm, like if someone tried to grab me and also burn me while at it. Gasping I turned around slowing my pace but not stopping it, surprised when recognized the same feeling as the one from my nightmare, but there was nothing, I headed to my front again only to trip over a concrete step and fall hitting me in the temple, only to remain there when a pressure let my body in that position, without letting me breathe properly.

' _It's the same thing as yesterday'_ so it wasn't a panic attack, but neither was an earthquake. Whatever it was, it wasn't letting me move. Rather than feeling scared I felt angry, because I didn't knew what it was, I hadn't slept much and I just wanted to head home. Still feeling the gravity over me, I slowly started to get up putting so much strength in it, first supporting me with my elbows, clashing my teeth fighting with that external force. Then I went my support on my knees and go on, slowly standing up against that pressure, when I finally stood up, the pressure had leave and I could breathe normally, even if I was more panting than anything.

Looking around, just as before, my eyes register nothing unusual. Just an empty parking lot. And my uneven breathe.

"What the actual fuck is going on?" It was charged with annoyance, my head hurt terribly, touching my temple I found out something wet. When inspecting my hand with it, I notice that I was bleeding "Great, just great"

I headed a few steps back, sighing, so I could regain speed. Only concentrated in make the jump and not die in the try, because for how everything was against me in just the past hour I wouldn't know. Making sure that I had everything with me and nothing was broken or fallen, I run again, clearing the blood that was dropping from the cut and then jumped to the wall of the house, my hands grasping the top and just as my feet touched the wall, I hooped and let myself fall with ease, sounding just a tuck as I hit the floor. I didn't stopped to take a break and just continued my way, I should get home soon enough.

Just as I thought, I did get home soon, just 15 minutes after. Rushing inside, I noticed that my dad wasn't there, he probably already left to work, without giving any more thoughts, I rushed upstairs to get ready. There's nothing faster that a student hurrying up to class so doesn't have to do the chores after, the only problem in that was the cut in my temple that was bleeding a lot even if I was sure that it was a little cut. Fucking hits in the head. But surprisingly, I found another wound in my right arm while taking my clothes off, it was a burn where I felt someone grab me before I fell. There it was. It was real.

"W-what… the… fuck?" My voice trembled, watching the fresh wound. It didn't look that dangerous, maybe it was first degree burn but how the hell it was even there? The hoodie I used didn't show burn marks, it was sticky where the wound was, but nothing else. I decided to stop overthinking before I had panic attack, and went to take a shower.

After taking a shower, I took the first aid kit and try to clean the wounds, it wasn't the best work, but it was something to stop the bleeding and cover the burn. When it was covered in some way, I went back to my room and dress up. In short time I was ready and leaving the house in a flash, with my backpack, my lunch 'thanks dad' and the bicycle.

Using the bike in winter it's horrible, the cold breeze hitting your face and the slippery street wasn't something I liked, but it was the fastest way. I was in the street, rushing to the pedals, my hair in a messy bun trying to keep it in one place, a jacket over the uniform with the black thermic stockings and my good winter boots.

In short time I was passing by the Kurosaki's Clinic and saw Kazui leaving the place.

"You were still waiting for me?" I stopped in front of him, he looked surprised to find me there.

"I was sure that you leave already! What are…? What happened to your head?! You are bleeding!" He didn't wait for me to reply and took my head with his hands gently, checking the wound that I didn't know that was open again, bleeding over my face "Come on, let my dad to check on you!"

He grabbed my wrist and took me down of the bike, any reply I let out, he didn't listen, damn with this guy and his weird strength! We just went inside the clinic and let Kazui's dad check on the wounds. All my hard work to get early, all for be stopped in seconds, I wanted to throw myself on the floor and cry.

* * *

This chapter it's rather short, but don't worry! Next chapter will be fun :D I hope you like it!

See you next Sunday!


	5. Kazui's Summer Camp Friends

Maybe it wasn't that bad that Ichigo checked on me.

Fifteen minutes later, Kazui was driving my bicycle at full speed and I was sitting behind holding him, with now my wounds well covered, a pair of stitches in my temple with a bandage and the burn was first degree, so it only need it to be well covered with the medicine required.

Rushing through the streets of Karakura, I didn't dare to talk, but I knew that Kazui was kind of angry with me. He was usually this talkative, worried kid, always there for help with a big smile and sometimes nervous of his own capability. So when I explained superficially what happened with the cut and didn't tell about how I got the burn, because seriously how could I explained that I _felt_ something but there was no one around me and later appeared the wound, 'I mean, how?!' Kazui looked at me knowing that I was leaving out something, he had a deep frown that make him look exactly like his father which was a terrifying look on him and we left with no words between each other.

I couldn't see him from the position I was, but the silence sure was something obvious to notice that he was in his thoughts. A little after, we finally arrived to the High School that was alone, we were the only ones that were getting late.

We went to the lockers, change our shoes and walked to our classroom. I wanted to talk to him and explain what happened, maybe it was obvious because he looked at me with calm and talked before I could say anything.

"You don't need to tell me right now, we can talk later" He showed me one of his reassured smiles that relaxed me and make me smile back.

"I will tell you later, really" I just said in response, nodding.

Now in the third floor, we were in front of the door, knowing what was to be expected inside. We were about to open the door, but we were beat by Higuchi-sensei from inside. Kazui and I tensed by the sudden appear.

'Kurosaki-san, Richard-san! And here I was questioning if you would appear today!" The man said, before any of us could reply, he continued "Now, now hurried up! I'm looking for the transferred students, we made change of places, so Richard-san please go to the corner by the window at the end and Kurosaki-san, behind Oshiro-san"

"Yes, Higuchi-sensei" We both said and hurried inside.

Once in our places, I finally felt calm for reaching the school, feeling my energy leaving me from just the few crazy hours of running and more running.

"I'll be dead for gym class" I lie my body down on to the table, trying not to fall sleep. But now that my body felt relaxed there was no way to stop it. Maybe it wasn't bad idea to sleep a little, anyway the first class was English, I was the best at it, for obvious reasons, I folded my arms at the table and rest my head above them, feeling almost completely out. Yeah a beautiful hour of silence.

Or not.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU GUYS DOING HERE?!"

Kazui's scream made me jolt from my spot, now feeling alarmed but instantly awake. The desks in front of me and at my right were empty, Kazui was in front of the right desk and there he stood pointing to the doors. Now there was another face of him that never really show up, he was talkative and really sociable, but he didn't like to get attention to himself, especially in class, also cursing, that boy never cursed. So looking at him, standing and having all the class paying attention to him, was shocking.

He now noticed his reaction. His face grown red every second passed, finally he mumble some kind of apology and sit down hiding his face from everybody. There was a moment of silence only broken by Higuchi-sensei, faking a cough.

"Well, now that we know that Kurosaki-san knows you he can show you the school, please present yourself to the class, then I will assign you to a place" My attention went for the first time to the five peculiar individuals in front of the class but I was surprised of myself that I could recognized one.

"I'm Abarai Ichika, I think we can work something out great!" She was a petite girl. It could compare in height like Hana. Her hair was a strong dark red, fixing in a ponytail making it look messier with locks of hair everywhere. Her big deep dark blue eyes staring at everyone amused. I wouldn't forget that face never in my life, I glared at her not believing my eyes, she seemed to notice me too and smiled at me, and I smiled back at her, it's been so long since I saw her! What was she doing here?!

"I'm Madarame Ikkaku, we could see later which of you weaklings can handle me?!" The next to talk was the tallest of the group I thought it was similar in height as Ichigo´s, he was bald, had a wild smirk like he was ready to get in action, with orange eye shadow? And a bokken between his arms and back. Everybody felt sure that messing with this mate was a bad idea.

"Ayasegawa Yumichika" The second man said, flipping with his hand his shining bob black hair in… disgust? Like we were the most awful thing in existence. He wasn´t that tall, maybe a few centimeters over than me, but he looked thin and fit. His black hair looked like dark silk and almost reached his shoulders in some kind of a bob.

"I´m Matsumoto Rangiku~ I hope we can be friends!" The other woman said and… _Damn mate_. I was sure that all the male population in the class wasn't sure of how react about her. She was a model or something! Was she even our age? She was taller than me, her long curvy hair was a shining strawberry blonde, her light blue eyes seemed happy about everything, but her greatest peculiarity was her… astonishing big breasts. I mean, I knew Orihime was big, but this was a whole new level! I looked at my own and felt tiny by her side, and I have a good size! What is wrong with this people?! How the hell Kazui knew them?!

"Hitsugaya Toushiro" Said the last one, his voice was cold and deep… And I think my mind stopped working for a moment, and probably most of the female population in the class. He looked about Kazui's size, his hair was white, pure white like snow, really messy with spikes all over, a bang covered his left eye, that at the moment both of them were close. He looked well fit, his skin white, his expression was really serious, with a deep frown in his face. His body resting in the blackboard, with his arms folded. He seemed like he didn't want to be here. Then he opened his eyes to make an inspection to the class and I thought that more than one girl gasped. I didn't, I make sure to keep my mouth shut. His eyes were deep green, I mean, no green, _teal_ eyes, real deep teal eyes sticking out with his white hair and skin. His eyes were looking out at the classroom, like calculating everything, for a moment they stopped to Kazui's, like sending a secret message and finally they stopped at me.

Great day to have a poor excuse of a bun hair and a cut in the head Akari, _great day._ I felt slightly tense. Why is he looking at me? What the _fuck_? I change my view to anything else, like the window, now I had some way to escape things. But I couldn't hold the stare any longer.

I heard Higuchi-sensei telling a few more things and then they headed to their sits. The gorgeous bombshell sit in front of me and the Ice Prince, I didn't remember his name, short attention span, sit behind Kazui which means… At my right.

Kami, what the hell you want from me today?! This wasn't my day. I decided to put the hood of my jacket on until any of the teachers told me otherwise. That way I could hide my face.

"Hi! I'm Matsumoto Rangiku!" I was surprised to find the new sexy classmate turning around her seat, trying to talk to me, extending her hand "I hope we can be friends! What is your name?"

I keep my silence for a few seconds, blinking, then grabbed her hand for the salute "I'm Richards Akari, I hope we can be friends too!" I smiled, I felt calm now.

Rangiku gasped in surprise and then from her perfect lips grew a big smile.

"So you are _the_ Akari-chan! You heard that Captain?!" She almost shouted out, now passing her look to the Ice mate wait did she said Captain what the…? Also _the_ Akari _? What?_ Kazui!

"Yeah I heard, Matsumoto" He didn't sounded that interested about it, but he was staring at me curious, I looked at Kazui that was tense, staring at the front and trying to seem that he didn't know anything.

"Kazui…" I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to get his attention. However at that time, the teacher went inside the room.

I had a few many questions forming in my head while the class passed. How Kazui did knew this people? What did Ichika had to do with them? Where they all know each other? How they knew who I was? Kazui goes around telling things about me? No. He wouldn't. So how? Maybe Ichika? But we just saw each other few times, long time ago! It didn't make sense!

Then I had a little moment of revelation. The summer camp! That's where he probably knew them! That's where he knew Ichika, so it must be! But he never talked about them, then why was he talking about me? Oh Kazui, you aren't going to escape this one.

The morning went normal, for my happiness, I went from 100 to 0 real quick. Just the classes passing by, lectures, homework and that. I just wanted to be lunch time so I could talk to Kazui, and it looked like that he didn't wanted to talk to me.

The bell ringed. It was lunch break.

Just as I stood up from my sit. Kazui with his incredible and stupid velocity, managed to take all the transferred students and leave the room in a blink of an eye.

"KAZUI" I screamed, slamming my hands to the table, knowing that he couldn't hear me now. That fucking kid.

"Well looks like today it's not a normal day" Emiko was now by my side, looking curious about everything "Do you know where Kazui knows the strange people?"

"We know one of them and I have an idea about the rest" I said letting the bulb turn on "I think they are from the summer camp he always goes, that would explain why none of us knows, but we know the short girl, Ichika"

"That's most likely, you are probably right Minagawa-chan" Now Hana said "But where do we know her?" She didn't seem to remember, Emiko did and looked accomplished about it.

"Do you remember…? Like, maybe past year o before, during Kazui's birthday, that suddenly appeared a really tall guy with red hair like her and full of tattoos, with a little woman long black hair and a crazy girl that throw herself over Kazui?" I said, trying to make her remember.

"Ah so! I do! He fell over the food, and Kurosaki-san spend all the evening fighting with the tall guy" She did remember! "And you spend all night with her teasing Kazui, now I understand why he run"

"We were only sharing information about him, you teased him too!" I said with a smirk. She blushed about it.

"How could I?! I don't do that" Hana said, looking offended.

"Whatever make you sleep better at night, Hana-chan" Emiko said also smirking, only making Hana to pout.

I laughed remembering that night but I didn't let my mind wonder back at time, I wanted to know about the present. I still couldn't understand Kazui's reaction, but probably right now he was questioning his friends about why they were there, it was something strange probably they could had told him before and expect the change, but he didn't know. I'm just forming more questions than answers.

"Do you think he is at the roof?" I asked to no one in particular. Hana was staring at her phone like expecting something.

"I write to him, but he is not answering" She said.

"Let's use at our advantage that we are on the third floor" I said heading to the window, opening it and looking under me to see if I could spot some orange head, when I didn't found him around there, I turned around to see up, knowing that I couldn't see nothing from there, I put my hands around my mouth a shout "KAZUI YOU ORANGE HEAD, ARE YOU UP THERE?!"

"Minagawa-chan!" "Why you have you be so loud, god" That's what I could heard from inside. At short time the bald guy was looking down to me, like if I was the crazy one.

"Why are you so noisy?!" He screamed.

"Hey baldy _mate_ , is Kazui up there?!" I just asked like nothing, still shouting out.

"WHO DO YOU CALL BALDY YOU FREAKING GIRL" He looked like he would get down there right now and attack me, I didn't flinch.

"Just answer the question!" Before the bald guy tried to jump, because I'm sure he was ready to jump at me, somebody took him from behind and pull him out. Then Kazui's face was looking at me.

"Why are you screaming like crazy?! We are at the school!" He still had a frown in his face. He looked tired.

"There you are! We are going up!" I said with a big smile "We are anxious to meet your friends! And see Ichika again!" With that I didn't let him finish, letting my upper body back inside the classroom.

"Why you have to do that?" Emiko said, between annoyed and amused for the situation.

"Why not?" I replied innocently smiling, took my lunch and headed to the doors.

Hana and Emiko just followed me like there was nothing else to do with my character. It was a warmer day, so I left the jacket in my seat. While going up the stairs a let my hair loose, trying to fix it.

"Akari you know you don't need to look perfect for the new guy uh?" Emiko said behind me, with an amused tone.

"Say what?" I just reply looking at her raising a brow.

"Oh come on, we know that your weakness are guys with pretty eyes" She continued.

"That's lie!" I shouted feeling my cheeks turn red.

"Please!" Emiko and Hana said at the same time. Great, now two against one.

"But whatever that make you sleep better at night, Akari" Emiko pointed out.

" _Fuck the both of you"_ I told them in English, feeling my cheeks getting red, they only laughed about it.

"What a kind person you are! We… Oh god I forgot something!" Emiko said out of nowhere "Care to join me Hana?"

"Wait, what did you forget?" Hana asked.

"Some papers I need to give to the club for the nationals!" Now she sounded panicked "Oh Kami! Come on Hana!" She grabbed her hand and without waiting response, they disappeared downstairs.

I didn't know what happened, but whatever was, they weren't there and I was alone to talk to a bunch of crazy people, Kazui and Ichika. Well, there goes nothing!

I opened the door to the roof and just there I could listen to the shouts I thought from Kazui and Ichika on the other side, because the doors didn't let to the bigger part.

"That's what you have to tell her! She doesn't know anything yet!" That was the obvious voice of Kazui.

"How the hell she still doesn't know?! She has a strong reiryoku carrot head!" The high pitched voice of Ichika, make me my ears hurt.

"Don't call me that Ichika!" The so called carrot head replied angry.

"Uh… Interrupting something?" I said out loud to get attention. I didn't want to eardrop more than I did. But now everybody was staring at me.

"Akari!" Ichika reacted first changing quickly her angry voice to one that sounded excited.

"Ichika!" I was excited, run after her and hugged her letting her up from the floor "It's been so long!"

"Ha! I forgot that you are this close to people, goldilocks!" She replied and hugged me a little, then got back from me, cleaning her uniform "Indeed, it's been so long!"

"You haven't change! Well maybe you have grown a little more" I didn't flinch about the nickname, but she seemed kind of angry with my response, but before she could reply Rangiku talked.

"So it's true that Ichika knows you Akari-chan! Surprising!" I didn't know if she was genuinely surprised or it was sarcasm.

"Are you calling me a liar?!" Her annoyance turned completely to the bombshell.

"You had the ego boost of your father, sometimes you exaggerate things!" She said like it was the most normal thing in the world.

"You big…!" Ichika started to say, but she was quickly interrupted by Kazui.

"Ok okay! There's no need to start calling names!" He put himself between all of us, meaning the girls.

"Of course there's no need to call names!" Another male voice said behind me, grabbing me by the neck of the blazer, surprising me "When we could get to a fight for calling me BALD!" Now looking behind me, it was the… shaved head guy? I mean… He's bald! What he expected! Looking like he was ready for murder me.

"Eh… _Sorry mate?_ " I really wasn't bothered by his dark aura of murder, it was just a mistake "I'm sorry! It was a mistake, I don't recall your name, so when you appeared, I only thought of that!" I said showing my best innocent face I could make.

"Yeah Ikkaku, you shouldn't be mad with her when it's the first thing to think!" Rangiku said with extremely calm, patting his head.

The so called Ikkaku, let me go to change his anger to her.

"Don't defend the little girl, Rangiku!" He sounded mad. I didn't understand why the 'little girl' but whatever.

"Ikkaku, there's no need to attack her, she apologized already" Now the guy with the bob cut was in my favor too "Besides, she is probably one of the least ugly things in this place"

"You too, Yumichika?!" Ikkaku growled.

"Hum… thanks?" That was a compliment? I was more confuse.

"I mean, probably without that bandage in your head, you must be quite pretty, of course not close to myself but I have to say, you hair it's quite beautiful" He continued saying, showing pleased with himself and I suddenly didn't know how to react, if angry to be called just 'pretty' or pleased because, indeed, my hair it's gorgeous.

I picked the last.

"Well thank you, it's a lot of effort to keep it like this" I run my hands over my hair, seeing how the sun made it shine more.

"I'm not sure if I should be relieve that you are getting along or just ask why me?" Kazui was watching everything looking even more tired, poor thing.

"Go with the first _mate"_ I patted his head gently with a smirk "So! Let me recall! Ichika you don't have a problem, I remember your name, the others: Rangiku, Ikkaku, Yumichika and…" I pointed each person when saying the name, so I could remember, finally I pointed to the Ice Prince that was far from us checking his phone without interest about what was going on "… You are something with Shiro?"

He looked annoyed about the nickname, he was going to reply, but Kazui beat him.

"Is Toushiro" Kazui answered.

"Is Hitsugaya to you Kurosaki, you are exactly like your father in that way" He sounded tired, like he had repeated that sentence more often than not, he hid his cellphone and went close to us, then spoke to me directly "You will also address me that way, Richards" Now that he was standing in front of me, I could notice that he indeed of the sized of Kazui's , so I had to look up to see his teal eyes looking directly at mine with seriousness, what was with this guy?

"Sir, yes sir, Hitsugaya-kun!" I made a military salute at him and smirked. He rolled his eyes while sighing "You can call me by my name"

"I will not, that's how I address everybody else, so for you it's the same" He said, then went back where he was, where there was a little mountain of lunch boxes, he took his and sit down, opening his food.

How cold geez… Oh right then.

"Captain! You should wait for all to eat!" Rangiku pouted, while getting by his side with her food.

"It's not my problem that you all were fighting over silly stuff" He simply said while eating.

"Come on Akari! We need to get updated about all this time!" Ichika grabbed me in the spot with the burn, making me yelp and she letting me go surprised "Woah what's wrong?"

"Just a wound I got this morning, you grabbed and hurt a lot" I waved my hand, trying to show that it was nothing, while sitting on the other side of Hitsugaya, Ichika by my side.

"Some deep cut you have there, eh?" Ichika said.

"Eh… More like a burn, things in the kitchen and hurrying up to class" I said with an embarrassed smile, just to put the act. Now we were in a circle, next to Ichika, was Kazui who was watching me without believing the story, I was thinking that was the only one, but I could see sideways the staring of a teal eyes don't believing the story neither.

"I see! Well you need to be more careful goldilocks!" Ichika seemed to believe the story and just went to eat her food.

I ate my food too. Short after Hana and Emiko appeared and presented themselves to the group. Now we were eating, telling stories and joking about things. Sometimes I would get suspect about certain things they said, things that didn't add up, but I just thought that it was just because I didn't know them well. Just as sometimes I could feel the staring cold eyes from Hitsugaya, like he was examining me. I reacted like I didn't notice anything and just continued to get along, but there was something strange about the situation.

Then the lunch time finished and we headed back downstairs. Ready for the next class.

* * *

Suuuunday Updaaate! I will keep the notes to the end of the chapter now.

What do you think? Now everybody is here! It was about time I know I know. But now let's get together this team and see how it goes! :D

I hope you like it! See you next week!


	6. Surprising facts

Toushiro's POV

This stupid mission and this stupid group. They seem to never change, even having Abarai for something different, it seemed like her parents were here too. It felt exactly like the mission with the Arancars.

Ever if it has been more than twenty years of that event.

It felt strange, many years had passed and yet so many things in the Human World remained the same. Karakura High School was almost the same for what I saw, the new thing I really noticed was the pool at one side of the principal building, the technology variety were also greater, but the rest remained the same.

I knew that this mission could led to be something really dangerous, it was supposed to be less people, just Matsumoto and myself, but since Madarame was bored in this years of peace and being lieutenant, he came in, Ayasegawa quickly came too and Abarai who wanted to visit Kurosaki, also came in.

Now I was stuck with a bunch of idiots that were easily distracted about the things in the Human World and passed the mission over their heads. I had to be stuck, acting like a teenager, in this school now outside for the gym class. That just went to 'do whatever you want' to the rest of the students.

We were waiting for the women to appear, seemed that Abarai and Matsumoto really got along with the human girls: Furuta, Nomura and Richards. Kurosaki was still uncomfortable with all the situation, he seemed worried about the meeting between them and us, but most importantly to Richards.

It was obvious why. Kurosaki Kazui since he showed his Shinigami powers from a young age it was necessary that he learned how to control his reiatsu, in that way he wouldn't affect other humans with it, the way that it happened with his father. So, Furuta Hana and Nomura Emiko were mere normal humans, their reiatsu wasn't nothing alarming and common in humans, instead Richards Akari did have and it was a great amount.

Matsumoto was more into Kurosaki's stories than me, but I was aware that he had a friend that could also see spirits, I didn't expect when just getting that morning into the classroom I could easily notice it, inspecting the classroom to search whom had that amount of reiatsu, it wasn't difficult to point it to the blonde girl with brown eyes. She avoided my gaze, but it was notorious that she seemed tired, her posture was from someone that hadn't rest well in a few days. However the thing that got my attention was thin line of red reiatsu flowing around her, it was like Kurosaki's controlled reiatsu, which make me wonder if it was all her power or something was helping contain it.

During the class, now that my suspicions were confirmed by Matsumoto's friendly welcoming, I started making theories about how does she had that reiatsu and how nobody in Soul Society didn't seem to bother. What I was more curious, aside of her own reiatsu, was the traces of foreign one around her arm, it seemed more aggressive and dangerous, like wanted to hurt her. It was something that I didn't like and it make me wonder if our times of peace were reaching its end.

The whistle of other male students made me aware that the women where now with us, mostly of them staring at Matsumoto that for once in her life her breast were covered by the white t-shirt, still didn't hide them at all. All five of them were talking while getting to us, all in their sport uniform, white t-shirt and blue sport pants, I found slightly curious that only Richards was wearing a jacket over the uniform, she looked more active than in the morning.

"Are you still cold, Akari-chan? You were without the jacket for lunch" Kazui asked her, making my thought into words.

"Yes! You know I'm always cold! See!" Without waiting for anything, she put her hands over Kazui's cheeks, making him go tense and then screamed something about she been so cold, making her laugh.

I sighed, they were just kids after all. I loud bunch of kids. Even my subordinates.

"You are the complete opposite of Ca-Hitsugaya-san!" Great Matsumoto now put me in the conversation "He has a great resistance to cold temperatures!"

"Hey! That's why your hair is that white, Hitsu-kun?" She was talking directly to me, her dark brown eyes looked amused, while there was a smirk in her lips.

"You can say that" I said in a cold tone "And I told you that it's Hitsugaya, Richards"

"So formal! And loooong!" She extended the word even more, showing that she didn't like it. "It's better like Hitsu!"

"No, it's not" I replied, while she only put a pout face. But change her concentration to throw herself over Kurosaki.

"KAAZUI! Let's do a match!" She sounded enthusiastic about it. I had to say, it wasn't every day that somebody asked that freely for a match against him, like it was nothing. The only people that would do that were the members from the 11th squad.

"Aren't you hurt? You should rest!" He took her off of him.

"What for this?" She pointed at the cut in her head "Please carrot top! This is nothing! Come on! First running then fight, yes?"

Kurosaki seemed quite annoyed, Furuta and Nomura seemed like it was nothing.

"It this normal?" Abarai asked to the other two.

"It's like every gym class when the teacher doesn't want to give classes" Nomura said, getting more attention to her braid than the insistence of Richard for a match.

"Kurosaki-kun and Minagawa-chan always do this match, it their way of competing" Furuta continued.

"Minagawa? I thought Akari's last name was Richards" Matsumoto seemed curious about everything was going on, that made the petite girl with glasses turn slightly red.

"Oh! It is, Minagawa it's her mother's last name, it just when we meet we didn't know how to pronounce Akari's last name, so we started calling her by her mother's last name" The other girl responded "It got stuck that way"

"I see, but isn't dangerous?" Matsumoto continued asking.

"What?" The both humans responded.

"Kazui fighting Akari? I mean, she might get hurt!" Abarai continued the trail of the conversation. Now even Madarame and Ayasegawa seemed interest.

Both girls started laughing like it was the most hilarious thing in the world. The rest of us stared at them without believing their action. Sure, Kurosaki wasn't the type to pick up a fight, but with all the training he had, he was a great combatant when he wanted to. Furuta was the first in compose herself.

"Oh! You are serious? Don't worry it's usually a friendly match and most of the time, in the fighting, Minagawa-chan always wins" She waved her hand, making sure that it was nothing.

"Ok sure! First running, three laps! Then match!" I heard from afar Kurosaki agreeing with Richards. This could be interesting.

"The best two of three! Deal!" They both shake hands and went to the track. Now all of us followed behind, if what the girls said it was true, then there were two options: Kurosaki in the fighting let her win or Richards had more reiatsu that I could see. I was hoping that was the first.

They took their position in the empty track, the rest of the students went to do other team things like baseball or soccer, or went inside the gym. We were the only spectators of their match. Nomura looked like she took the place of referee, she was close to the track and watch they were right.

"Ready?" She asked and both of them nodded, looking only at the track "Set…Go!"

And there they went, with a surprisingly speed from both parties. I knew that Kurosaki's speed overpower his father's, which is still hard to believe, but did not expect Richard speed at all. The first lap, she was a little ahead of Kurosaki, which keep us a little worried, however the second lap he regain speed and was at the same pace of her, she couldn't keep it any longer, it was notorious that was difficult for her to keep the same rhythm, by the end, Richards lost with a huge difference. Richards was gasping for air, looked totally drained, while Kurosaki was sure that didn't break a sweat.

"I thought you said that she always win at this?" Ikkaku had a smirk in his face, sure that a human couldn't win.

"I said in fight" Furuta confirmed "In this, well Kurosaki-kun is in the track field club, he always win at this"

"Why do matches in things they are good at? If they always win at that!" Abarai said without understanding the competition.

"Well, there are a few times that things change, and help them practice" Nomura change her attention to us "they shared almost the same level in running and fighting, if Akari was in the track field club probably could match Kazui's" She was confident about it, we just could get along with it "If Kazui went more to the karate classes, he could beat more Akari" That was the one we all wanted to know if it was true.

"Give me a track through the city and I win!" Richards shouted, now recomposed.

"That's because you know all the shortcuts of it" Kurosaki replied "That's cheating"

"Cheating! I have to climb walls and run on the roofs and things like that! It's not cheat!"

"You sound like a thief talking like that so lightly"

"I'm not thief! You carrot top!" It was obvious that Richards had a fiery attitude.

"There's no need to call names! You kiwi!" That didn't seem like the worst thing to say, but Richards gasped overdramatic over it.

" _I'm AUSSIE not a fucking kiwi_!" Seemed like he did touch a nerve on it " _You are on, mate_! Now to the tatami so I can kick your ass!"

After the weird exchange of words, we all headed inside the gym. There were more students in there, doing different activities. They headed to an empty spot that could work for their match close to the spectator steps, we seated in there, while Kurosaki, Nomura and Richards stayed in the tatami. The blonde was now fixing her hair up in a really messy bun, probably so it didn't bother during the fight and looked like the running worked like a warm up for her, because she took off her jacket a leave it to Furuta.

Now that she was only with the gym uniform it was more clearly to notice her figure, specially her arms. I did notice before that her hands even if they seemed delicate, were with a lot of scars, like someone who likes to works a lot with them, what I wasn't prepare it how her arms looked toned and ever more scarred. I'm not sure if Kurosaki even said in what she worked but she seemed to have a lot of accidents of it or previous. It kind of make me concern about her. Aside from that in her left arm there was some kind of tattoo that I couldn't notice well the design and finally under the right sleeve there was some bandages covering a wound, the strange reiatsu was still present in there.

"Captain, if I didn't know you better I said that you are staring too much at Akari-chan~" Matsumoto amused whisper let me back to reality. I send her one of my famous cold stares that I knew that didn't really worked with her, she only giggle about it. "Don't worry Captain, now that you are growing up, it's normal to have those feelings! ~"

"Shut up, Matsumoto!" I growled at her. She continued giggling about it. This damn lieutenant.

I focused my attention back to the tatami, were now Richards and Kurosaki were ready to fight, they stood there waiting for Nomura start the match.

"Is for point make or until it looks like K.O. and/or give up?" She asked.

"K.O. or give up?" Kurosaki now asked to Richards.

"K.O or give up" She replied with an overconfidence smirk in her face. She did seem more determinate in this than before.

Nomura nodded and positioned herself between them. They both put themselves in fighting pose and I could notice a great difference between them. Kurosaki's was rigid, tense waiting for start, his guard way to up, his fists holding too much pressure, Richard instead was relaxed, maybe too much, her hands with a light grip that wasn't even closing her fists, she seemed ready for everything.

"Start!" Nomura shouted and backed herself from the fight. They started.

The first match didn't last much. Without nobody's expecting it, Richards managed to pull one Kurosaki's feet with hers, pull it up so it could grab it with one arm, then push him off balance, making him fall to the floor and without giving him time to react, she lowered herself in a perfect position and throw a punch to his face only to stop it what it looked like millimeters to his face.

"One" she said low, but loud enough for me to hear. Then got up. Inspecting Kurosaki, he did looked surprised and now was gasping for air, probably the hit with the fall let him out of breath, but it was true. Probably if Richards did finished the punch, he would be K.O.

I put my arms over my knees, putting my chin over my hands, now with all my attention in it. I could saw Matsumoto also interested in the fight now that she was quiet, Abarai had her eyes wide open of her surprise, Ayasegawa with an eyebrow raised and Madarame did look like this was fun. I should be careful with him with all this.

The second match was longer, Kurosaki did defend himself better this time. Their hits were more precise and faster, but never really reaching the body. It was interesting how they did went with great force and managed to dodge it or take the hit with their defenses, especially for the blonde she didn't seem hurt or tired about it, this time the orange head did look tired. Not much after, Kurosaki managed to grab one punch that Richards didn't recover on time, twisting her arm at her back.

"Ok ok! Stop!" The blonde shouted with pain in her face, the orange head let her go with a smirk. She stretched her arm so it wouldn't bother her.

"Go Kazui!" Everybody was taking by surprised with the unexpected shout from Abarai, supporting him. She didn't seem to matter the attention.

"Oh right, last round!" Nomura got back the attention to the match, they went back to their positions. "Start!"

They didn't went direct to it this time. They waited for the other to react, some feint to it but nothing else, waiting who would make the first move. Richards did. She knew how to start a fight, her attacks were with more precision than Kurosaki's, even him having the advantage of speed, she managed to dodge punch and kicks, and this time she was faster recovering her attacks. She knew how to use Kurosaki's force against him, completely, probably her best tactic, that's how it ended. The orange head lunged over her and without waiting she lowered herself in his way, that make him fall over her back and she with the momentum throw him off her. He hitting the floor made the tatami to bounce, this time he reacted faster and blocked the punch to his head, grabbing her arm but before he could pull and throw her off balance, with her other hand she grabbed the same arm he was holding her, lower elbow and started to pull back slowly. Kurosaki shouted something from the pain and Nomura finished the match.

"And the winner is… Akari!" Now that Richards was separated from Kurosaki, Nomura pulled her hand up like they do, leaving the man in the floor, looking exhausted. The blonde did seem happy about it, with a big smile showing her teeth.

Madarame was excited, probably thinking that he had someone to fight and match his abilities and no die in the intent. Abarai surprise didn't seem to fit in her petite body, her mouth hanging open in a perfect 'o' and eyes widened. Ayasegawa also was pleasantly surprised. Matsumoto had a little smirk, probably having the same assumptions that I had.

"What does this means, Captain?" She asked in a whisper, kind of amused, kind of serious.

"It means, that we should be careful with her" I said "We could have another Kurosaki Ichigo with this and Soul Society let it pass under its nose"

* * *

Heeeellooo! Sunday Update was early today! :D I hope you like it! What do you think about my writing with Toushiro? It was good? It was bad? Let me know so I can make changes if is it need it :D

What do you think about the story? There are many viewers I thank you all, specially to those 3 who follow my story it's really appreciated! 3 You are great!

Well See you next week~!


	7. Mission Revealed

Akari's POV:

When the match ended, the gym class also ended and we all headed to the lockers. Every one of the transferred students seemed in awe that I defeated Kazui, Ikkaku looked quite excited about it and I'm sure that he was ready for a match too, but then it was time to go. Ichika was in some kind state of shock, looking at me as if I was some kind of alien but never asking anything even inside the girls' bathroom, Rangiku looked also surprised but she did ask about where I trained and things like that.

Inside the showers I had some kind of privacy and let myself think about why they seemed so surprised. I only guessed that he must be a good fighter in the camp, but my background in martial arts was greater than his, my experience in competitions was also greater than his and also in the streets I knew very well how to defend myself, so why it was such a surprise?

Hitsugaya's gaze was also really notorious during the match, it was like I could feel his teal eyes inspecting every move I made, every reaction, every fist, kick or dodge, at the end when Emiko declared me the winner his expression was with a deep frown, serious, I really couldn't read him at all.

I went out of the showers with my towel around me, going to my lockers throbbing my temple with my hand feeling a headache, I did something wrong? The matches were really common between Kazui and me, so why when they appeared seemed so surprised?

"Ugh" I let out knowing that there wasn't no one of the group around them.

I changed back to my normal uniform, putting everything inside the backpack for cleaning while drying my hair with the towel, waiting for the rest.

It wasn't a long waiting, short after Ichika and Rangiku appeared changed, talking with each other, behind Emiko and Hana. We all left bathroom and went outside the school, thanking that it was our last class for the day.

The boys were already outside waiting for us. Hana and Emiko went ahead to the opposite direction of us where their homes were, looked like the rest headed to Kazui's. Taking my bike with me we started walking over there, I just had one thing in my mind, head home and rest what I need it to rest, hoping that that night I didn't have any nightmares. Kazui broke my little dreams way too fast.

"You should stop at my house so my dad can check on you" I know that he cared for me, that he was worried but I just wanted to sleep, be in my home and sleep, nothing else.

"I know you are right but… but…" I knew my face said it all, all in a ´why me´, Kazui was looking at me in a mix between apologetic and worried.

"You were full of energy before, Goldilocks! What happened?" Seemed that Ichika get over the shock and was now in her usual self, walking with her arms behind her head without worries

"I haven't been sleeping well… And went I go into fighting mode I get alert, I don't know" I shrugged.

"You are weirder that I thought!" She continued. I felt a twitch in my eye.

"Are you freaking serious? It was just a slip of energy nothing else!"

"But being serious Richards, were do you learn how to fight?" My attention went to Hitsugaya's voice, he was now at my right with his hands inside the pockets, quite separate of me so I could move the bike at my side.

"I'm second _Dan_ in Karate Shotokan, training for the third and also practicing Aikido, still in _Kyu_ tho" I smirked a little when Hitsugaya raised an eyebrow probably curious about it.

"And also training to be a thief, you know the usual" Kazui said joking ahead of us, I push him forward with a kick in his butt "Hey!"

"I'm not a thief, Kazui!" I growled at him, he just laughed.

"Why does he mean by that?" Hitsugaya finally made the question.

"I-Hum…" How do I explained "I practice something for running, all the martial arts really help me when I'm in trouble specially that I don't know when not to pick up a fight, so there were times where I was overcrowded and well shit happens…" I had my sleeves rolled up, so now my scars were expose, I pointed one in my right elbow "If it weren't for Kazui appearing out of nowhere, I would have ended worse that a broken arm" Not one of my best moments, I did learn when to pick my fights and when to run "Let's say it's a practice about escaping in any place you are and that includes running on roofs, climbs walls and things like that" His teal eyes were looking at me with more curiosity than before "It helps a lot! Right, Kazui?!" I looked at him for some help.

"You are not fighting as much as before so…" He turn a little to see us, only to stop his tracks surprised "Wha-Where are the others?!"

"What are you talking about there are…" There weren't there. I flipped around to see that indeed, Rangiku, Ichika, Yumichika and Ikkaku were gone "What! But they-I mean!" They were there just a moment ago! Hitsugaya didn't seems surprised about it and only sighed.

"Those idiots doesn't even how arrive to a house without making a scene" He mumble kind of tired. I waited for and explanation, instead Kazui only seemed more nervous and started running ahead to his house.

"Kazui!" I shouted without understanding anything, the orange head only keep running leaving me behind with Hitsugaya, I glanced at him waiting for something to make sense and the only shrugged. Great help "Your friends are quite strange"

"Believe me, this is normal" I raised one eyebrow with that confession, what the fuck is wrong with this people. I sighed and hopped on in my bike, starting to fix my hair in a ponytail, I glanced at him that was now looking at me strangely.

"Your friends disappeared, Kazui left us, I just want to get home but I need to check on with Ichigo-san, so hop on and we'll get there faster" I was patting the little space left in the seat. Hitsugaya's posture suddenly when rigid and seemed uncomfortable.

"Are you sure?" He only asked.

"Yeah… I do this all the time with Kazui" He seemed to accept the idea and sit back "Anyway if we fall, totally your fault, Hitsu-kun!" I said before starting pedaling, laughing at the annoyed 'Tch' I heard from him.

The ride to Kazui's house was quite long but quiet, only the traffic and people around as a background noise, not that it bothered me, that way I could concentrate only in the street and the view, I always liked to drive around the river in the bicycle even if it was chill that day, the reflection of the water always relaxed me and give me reasons to smile. I wanted to make some twirl with the bike, but I was just meeting Toushiro and I imagine that he wouldn't like that idea at all, even if it sounded really funny in my head, but I dared to look behind me for a second to see Toushiro's face focused in the view, even with his frown he seemed calm, until he noticed that I wasn't watching up front.

"You should be focused in the street not in me, Richards" He said.

"Don't worry! I'm multitasking!" I said laughing but getting my attention back to the road.

When we crossed the river and enter the Minamikawase District, everything turned more quiet with fewer people around, finally we reached the Kurosaki's Clinic, Kazui had just arrived and was at the door completely still staring at the inside, now off the bike I looked at Hitsugaya looking for an answer, again, and he went back to seem irritated.

When I got at Kazui's side I was completely confuse about the scenario in front of me. One of the lamps of the living room was down, broken, Orihime was in the kitchen area surprised while Ichika and Yumichika were rambling about things with her, but she didn't seem to get any information, Rangiku was over a really red and angry Ichigo in a nothing discreet pose while Ikkaku was trying to get her off him in the most loudest way.

What the fuck is wrong with this people?!

I suddenly felt how the temperature of the room drooped to a few degrees, Kazui looked alarmed behind me and I did the same to only find a pair of teal eyes looking ready for murdering the people, I felt Kazui grabbing me by my arm and getting me out of the way.

"Just for once in your life…COULD YOU BEHAVE YOURSELFS!" Hitsugaya's deep and cold voice resonated in every inch of the house and from my new angle I couldn't see, but I was sure that everybody kind of freak out. I did and surely I didn't want to see him angry again.

Short moments after everybody was quiet and all the 'new' guys were in a corner of the living room looking like little kids scolded by their parents, Hitsugaya was at the table with a tea in his hand now calm, Kazui in the kitchen talking with his mom and Ichigo checking on me with a first aid kit in the table.

"Who would have thought that Toushiro was going to finally grown up?" Ichigo said amused while checking the cut in my temple.

"Shut up, Kurosaki" I couldn't see him from my position, but it was obvious that was a topic that he didn't like to talk by the way he growled answering "And it is Hitsugaya, when are you going to learn?"

"He was of short height when he was little, Ichigo-san?" I smiled at the idea of a little grumpy Hitsugaya around "He surely was adorable!"

"Don't. Say. Anything. Kurosaki" I giggle at his cold, grumpy answer and Ichigo only smiled, but he cut the conversation.

"So Akari" He got back my attention "The cut in your forehead is better, is now disinfected and probably before the weekend I can get off the stitches"

"It will leave a scar?" I asked, really concerned, I didn't want more to add to the collection. Especially in my face.

"No, it shouldn't" He smiled and I sighed relieve "Now let's take a look to your arm"

I rolled even more my right sleeve so he could see the bandages. He took them off gently, but even making me wince a little for the pain, now the bandages were sticky to the skin, so more pain for me.

"I didn't ask in the morning, but how did you get burn like this?" Ichigo asked the question I didn't want to answer, now what I'm going to say?!

"I… I got burned with the radiator in my grandma's! You know that old piece of junk, I thought it wasn't hot and bam! Burned! You know me, always distracted!" I was rambling, I was rambling way too much and Ichigo would notice I was lying, I'm s-

"You should be more careful" He calmly said, getting me off of my thoughts. He believe it? What? Who are you and what did you do with Ichigo-san?! "Are you okay Akari? You seem tense"

I blinked for a few seconds before answering.

"Yeah! It's nothing, I'm just… I'm way too tired" He nodded and continued checking on the burn, I'm sure that he really didn't believe me, but why he didn't say anything? I was just there, feeling how he was inspecting and everything, starting to get bored and then I noticed a little yellow stuffed animal that I haven't see in a long time "OH MY GOD!" I shouted getting the attention of everybody to me, but I didn't care, I grabbed with my free hand the little toy "Kazui! You still have this?!" I'm not a kid, I'm a 17 year old young woman… Who likes plushies a lot.

"Why you have to be so loud?!" Kazui repeated again in that day, now in front of me, watching me and the stuffed animal "Ah! Kon! We have it still because…" He looked quite nervous about it.

"For the kids! When they come to the clinic you know, distraction" Ichigo answered quickly.

"I see! Aw! Kon! It's exactly like when we played with him when we were kids!" The stuffed animal was a little lion, with a blue cross behind his head, I could grab its body with my hand "It's still adorable!" I squashed a little the toy, releasing its sound that make me smile.

"You are way too fond for that thing" Kazui said and grabbed the toy. I wanted to complain, but Ichigo's patted my head, his way of telling me that I was ready.

"Be careful with that one, it's nothing serious but you should pay attention to your surroundings" He said, his way of scolding me but not. I simply nodded. Getting up so I could leave. "Oi, Toushiro, can you take her to her house?"

"Eh?!" Hitsugaya and I said at the same time, staring at Ichigo like crazy. Kazui was at my side watching him strangely too.

"But shouldn't I…" Kazui started

"You, need to help me to move some things and also should help your mother with the dinner now that we have guests" Ichigo cut his trail of thoughts.

"But I'm good! There's no need for Hitsugaya-kun to join me!" I said, trying to change Ichigo's mind.

"You been injured a lot recently, just do it for precaution, please Akari?" I looked up at him and he was staring me with the same worries eyes that my father did sometimes, it breaks me.

"Sure Ichigo-san…" I said defeated. Hitsugaya seemed quite annoyed with the request, but finally seemed to agree too when he sighed and got up with me. He looked up for a second at Ichigo, seemed like they were sending a message and then went pass me.

"Come on, Richards" Hitsugaya said with his cold voice. I followed.

"Oh! Thank you for checking on me Ichigo-san!" I bowed a little at him and then walked through the door waving at the rest "See you tomorrow, all!" I heard the faint but different kind of goodbyes from everyone. They really were an interesting group.

Toushiro's POV:

Sense of security wasn't the only reason why Kurosaki wanted me instead of his son to accompany Richards to her house. Even if he still was bad sensing reiatsu, he could notice the change of what it seemed her normal one. He surely was aware that she had more than a normal human, so he must sense the aggressive one in her arm, now was almost gone, but he was nervous about what could happened to her.

This wasn't the mission we accepted, Richards shouldn't be trouble for Soul Society, then why I had this feeling that something was off about her.

"Something bothers you?" Richards voice bring me back to reality, she was showing a gently smile, moving at her left the bicycle, not letting any separations between us.

"Not really" I cut quickly.

"Please! Your frown it's even deeper" She tried to put a finger between it, but I just shake her hand off "So mean! Relax a little, Hitsu-kun"

"I told you not to call me that way, Richards!" She only laughed about it.

"I get why you have that white hair of yours, it's not from the cold, you are too stressed!"

"You are going now to mess with my hair?" I was annoyed, my voice didn't hide it.

"I'm just saying, but don't worry! It's a really pretty hair you have!" Now she ruffled my hair with one of her hands, stopping her tracks "So soft too!" She smiled more brightly about it, the closeness and her attitude made me quite nervous, I felt my cheek getting warmer.

"Oi! Don't do that!" I grabbed gently her wrist to put her down "You go around touching other people's hair without knowing them?!"

"Oh!" She did seem embarrassed about it, her face turned red "You are right! Bad habit" She give me an apologetic smile while I let go her hand and then we returned walking, she changed to look at the basket of the bike.

"That's still no reason for it" I said, raising a brow.

"Sorry" She shrugged and smiled it, again. This girl surely likes to smile. "Ah! We are here, oh dad!" She focused her attention to a man leaving a car in the small garage. He was tall, like Kurosaki, but thinner, wearing glasses, he really didn't look like her daughter except for the gold hair and the smile he shown when he saw her. Looked like that run in the family.

"Ah! _My ray of light_ " The man said, I wasn't still good enough in the work of other languages from the Living World, but I had learn a little to understand the phrase. He hugged her when they were close and then he seemed to notice me "Are you new in the school? Usually Kazui's bring you here" He had a strong accent, but I could understand him.

"Ah! Hitsugaya-kun this is my dad! Richards Gideon" She pointed at him to present us "Dad, this is Hitsugaya Toushiro, he is a transferred student along with other group, he's friend with Kazui's!"

"Oh I see! Pleasure to meet you, Hitsugaya-san" He extended his hand to shake it, I shake it back and he bowed a little.

"Pleasure it's mine, Richards-san" I give him a nod with my head and let go our hands "Kurosaki was helping his father in some things, so he asked for the favor"

"Ah! Thank you so much for bring her! I hope it was not trouble" His Japanese was overly polite, a difference of his daughter.

"No problem at all, sir" I continued.

"Like I'm that trouble" She muttered and that made me smirk a little. She was the one with bandages all over.

"I have to go back, see you tomorrow, Richards" I turned around for my leave.

"See ya! Hitsu-kun!" I flip my head to send her a cold glance, but she was only smirking amused. Why everybody had to give me nicknames?!

Getting back to Kurosaki's house wasn't long, maybe a few minutes, I didn't use shunpo to get there so I could use the silence to think. The sun was starting to set down and a few people were still outside, heading home. For the season many were wearing something to cover up, for me, it was nice, I could think to get it a colder even.

Now was explaining the mission to the Kurosaki family, see if they could help us track down any clue.

I got back to the clinic, somehow relieved that it hasn't explode or something like that, with the group I had to take care. When I got in, thanks to Kazui, the difference as how I left it was that the group had passed the scold, acting more vivid and the stuffed animal, with the mode soul inside him, was back alive, getting throw down by on of Matsumoto's punch.

"Why everybody has to be so mean with me! I'm the great Kon! I should worship you as the goddess you are!~" Even his laments were annoying, why did they still keep him?

"Really Kazui, how do you still had this thing?! My mom is always saying how pervert it is!" Ichika said, holding the toy, more like agitated him.

"You are really mean to be Nee-san daughter! She loves me! And nobody can separated us from our destiny!" He sure could dream big for a mode soul "And Akari-nee-san! How difficult it's to act still around her! She has grown to be a gorgeous woman! With big-"

He couldn't finished his sentence because now Ichigo, took him and throw him to the wall, with that much force that actually cracked a little the wall.

"DON'T YOU DARE SAY YOUR PERVERTED THOUGHTS ON HER, KON" He seemed completely angry with the idea. He probably would incinerated the toy if he wanted to, but someway the hit just help him.

The stuffed animal kept moaning and whining about things that nobody really cared. What a pain in the ass.

"Do you still find him useful in some way?" I asked to no one in particular.

"I use him more that my dad, has help me a lot when there's an emergency and I'm in class" Kazui answered me giving up with the idea "Even if most of the times I get kicked out by Akari when he is in my body"

"You should thank me!" Kon stood up in the floor "Is the only time you can have a chance with that gorgeous queen!"

"I don't feel anything for her Kon!" Kazui's face was now red with embarrassed "So your work is actually useless!"

"What a waste!" The stuffed animal crossed his arms, disappointed "Also, if the goddess is here, where is the little kid captain?"

My anger escalated quickly by that, hearing a little giggle from Matsumoto completely amused by the idea didn't help at all. The rest of the group seemed tenser except for Kurosaki and his wife.

"Little. Kid. Captain?" I concentrated in only got colder the spot around Kon, that's when he looked alarmed.

"WHAT?! THE LITTLE CAPTAIN HAS GROWN UP! I THOUGHT YOU WERE A BROTHER!" The stuffed animal kept yelling and then Matsumoto couldn't handle anymore and burst into a laugh, in a blink of an eye the toy was frozen in a little spot totally panicked.

"That won't leave a mark on the floor right?" Ichigo asked.

"It won't melt until I change my mind… So, no" I headed to the table close the kitchen.

"Oh right then, a little time of peace for all to eat" He only shrugged and started putting plates of food in the bigger table.

Nobody seemed to refute the idea, so everybody sit around and started eating. Night was starting to fall around us while the food was disappearing, meanwhile everybody chatting about everything and nothing, getting updated about the past few years. Even if Kazui went to Soul Society every year to train, Ichigo and Orihime not, they had become more used to their human lives, routines and work, so they couldn't be going as freely as before. So pretty much everybody wanted to know about everything. The group haven't changed that much in those years, most of them still around the area of the city, the most distanced was Ishida Uryuu giving classes at Tokyo University, Yasutora Sado and Arisawa Tatsuki decided to do a team work about teaching different martial arts in Karakura High School, Kurosaki's sisters were attending a shop on their own and the other human, Asano Keigo, was around too, for my gratitude now that Ayasegawa and Madarame seemed to like the idea to pay him a visit and stay in his house.

Matsumoto and I agree to take Orihime's old house for the stay, now that it was almost used for Shinigamis that stayed in Karakura Town and Abarai was going to stay here with the Kurosaki's, around the time we finally set that, the table was without a trace of food or the plates.

"So, Toushiro, why are you here?" With Ichigo question the atmosphere went tense.

"We are here for this" I said taking a fold piece of paper off my blazer, then opening it on the table. The Kurosaki's were curious about the image of the zampakuto displayed of the paper with some writing, before they could ask something I continued "Head Captain Kyoraku find it recently in the old documents from former Head Captain Yamamoto"

"From the Old Man?" Ichigo seemed perplexed about the idea "I thought everything was lost after the battle with the Quincy"

"Not everything was lost, some things did survive the attack, this was underground of the principal headquarters of the First Division" Ichigo nodded following the idea "It looked like the Head Captain Yamamoto kept a track of a few fire-type zampakuto, with what reason, we don't know, but to maintain him interested probably was about how powerful they are in comparison of his zampakuto"

"Oh right, what so special about this zampakuto?" Now Orihime asked, looking quite worried.

"Captain Commander Yamamoto seemed really interested in this one, we saw the other papers and doesn't had many descriptions about it, he even labelled this one as one of the most powerful fire-type zampakuto in Soul Society only surpassed by Ryūjin Jakka" Now they all had shocked faces, understanding exactly what it means right now that Yamamoto had died in the Quincy war.

"Seems really interesting and everything, but what does it has to do with you been here?" The short attention span in Ichigo was already kicking in. He was surprised but, he also seemed irritated.

"The zampakuto has been missing for almost 200 years, the last reading was that was in the Living World and if the descriptions about it are true" I paused a moment, thinking my words "Then it means that we might had a chance to found out a way to execute Aizen once and for all"

* * *

Duuuun duuuun duuuun!

Sunday Update! :D How's everybody? How's been this week and October? I hope it's been great!

Well, here the chapter! :D I hope you like it :D I enjoy all the viewers I have, but I would also love if you do a review? I mean, I really want to know if is going on fine or you hate or what you know? Even if is it a lot of "KJDFHKAJDFHKDFJH" I do that all the time, you can see my reviews in other fics I follow hahah! Really it helps me to know what you think but whatever, I'm not going to bother you anymore!

I hope you enjoy!

See you next week!


	8. Mission Revealed Part II

Toushiro's POV

If the room was tense before saying any word of the mission. Now it was touchable and easily to cut. The most visible reaction between the family members was surprise, especially from Ichigo. Kazui and Orihime exchange worried gazes and then looked at Ichigo, probably waiting for the reaction of my words.

"A-Are you serious?! Bu-But that's impossible! How?! We know that he is immortal thanks to the Hogyoku! Damn it! I was it myself! It's impossible to kill that man!" He was altered, there was no doubt of it and it was comprehensible "Are you sure about this?"

"Is still a long shot everything in fact… We are not really sure, but Head Captain Kyoraku seems confident about it, even Urahara-san was interested in the idea when we told him" The mysterious former Captain of the 12th Division was more than interested about the idea, but something about the early visit when we were looking for our gigais was off, probably, as usual, he was hiding something.

"Then how? How a fire-type zampakuto can kill Aizen?" Ichigo continued asking.

"For the details of the papers, it seems like it's not the typical fire-type zampakuto, the ability that's written talks about some way to absorb the reiatsu of the enemy and make a bomb with it" I saw him ready to reply about it "I know what you are going to say, we are aware of the bombs of reiatsu and how Urahara-san tried to use it in Aizen, however it looks like it's not the same, it seems like it take the reiatsu of the enemy then transforms it in caloric energy and uses it in the opponent as a bomb"

"Wait!" Kazui seemed more scared about the idea "A bomb like that? Of pure heat? That's worse than an atomic bomb! It is way too dangerous that power!"

"Everything sounds way to terrifying really" Orihime's voice was low and fragile, it was more than understandable that they didn't want to get more involved with that man. I sighed with the idea too.

"It's still just theory really" Matsumoto now took the attention "For what it's worth, the only real clue we have is the paper and some studies from the crazy lab of the 12th Division, I mean it doesn't give us the name of the zampakuto and it's been missing for far too long" She got more positioned more comfortable in her chair, stretching herself like a cat "Probably it's all a false alarm and we get some kind of vacations!" That's the only thing that could thing this lazy woman, how not to do work.

"Oi, Rangiku! This is serious!" Abarai cut the show "False or not, we are here to investigate! Not in vacation!"

"What makes you really think that the zampakuto still exists? Or the owner shouldn't be really the case? If it's been too long that you had a track of it, I mean are you sure is he or she even alive?" Ichigo asked.

"The 12th Division find some places in Karakura that had a great amount of reiatsu mixed with heat, we think it's in relation with the zampakuto and for the owner, his name is Himura Takehiko, we didn't found much information on the register of the Gotei 13, neither in the Shino Academy, that's probably missing because of the Quincy war or even before" I sighed again, passing my hand over my hair, trying to think options of what to do "Like I said, everything really it's a long shot, to many "if" in the equation, the principal thing is that we are here to investigate the areas and see what we can find"

"Uhm… I just want to make sure of something…" Orihime started quite worried "Aizen doesn't know anything of this, right?"

"No, the worst thing we could do is giving him information that could benefit him in some way" I sounded maybe a little too harsh in that sentence, but Orihime seemed to relax a little "If we don't find the sword, then he just continues his sentence without knowing any of this, if we find it that's more complicated"

"Why you think that?" Ichigo asked, he still seemed worried about everything.

"There's two possibilities about it, both coming just from the idea of why Himura Takehiko decided to not show any sign of life for two centuries" It was the big question indeed in all the problem "One possibility when we find him, he agrees with everything and come with us, the other possibility is that he doesn't and in fact has some kind of plan against the Seireitei"

We all understand what was more probable to happen. It was rare cases like Urahara's, were they just wanted to stay off radar of Soul Society and really didn't wanted any more trouble. Usually the case was of some exiled who wanted revenge, if that was case, the Gotei 13 was more than capable to handle those kind of situations, but for the last experiences, we couldn't really know.

"So… all ends in just find or not the sword" Kazui said and the others agree in my case nodded slightly.

"Why everybody seems worried shit!" Madarame exclaimed getting off the tense air "If it really happens the worst scenario, he surely doesn't know with who is messing up! It's going to be fun to see how he tries!" A wild smirk was in his face, he really was bored if he thought that.

"Ikkaku is right" Ayasegawa flipped his hair with a hand while saying that "After all we been through, another poor soul looking revenge on Soul Society seems like a child's play"

"Besides, now Kazui and I are in this, they don't stand a chance!" Abarai said with the same overconfidence of her father, sometimes I doubt if she really had something of Kuchiki.

Kazui didn't seem as confident as her, but there was a certain determination in his eyes like his father, probably thinking that he had people to protect and help. He will be of great help if we really get to the worst situation.

"Glad to cheer up the place" Madarame was about to put his feet over the table, reclining on the chair, only to be thrown back off balance by Ichigo and fell on the floor "WHAT THE HELL WAS THAT FOR?!" He immediately stood up angry.

"Who let you that much confidence in this house?!" The older Kurosaki said "This is not the 11th barracks!"

"You have grown to be even more boring, Ichigo!" Madarame shouted back and they were now head to head in what looked like a staring contest. I only rolled my eyes and sighed.

"Talking about confidence, Kazui-kun I didn't imagine that you were that close to Akari-chan~" Matsumoto said in a cheerful and amused tone, the younger Kurosaki went to different shades of red

"I said that I don't like her!" Still his face was redder than before. "She is not my type!"

"And Captain!" Matsumoto completely pass over what the kid said and looked at me with the same amused face "You also seems interested in her!~ By the way you looked at her at the gym!" She patted me at my shoulder and I only could stared at her colder, irritated.

"WHAT?!" Before I could reply, Ichigo seemed to change completely his attention from Madarame to me, he looked mad with the idea and that only made me raised an eyebrow.

"You are serious believing to the words of this woman" I pointed at Matsumoto that only had a face of pure false innocence "And I'm only interested is in how she has that amount of reiatsu and none of you said anything"

Now all the Kurosaki's were watching me quite scared for a totally different reason. I did understand why they didn't say anything apart of the rambles that Kazui said in his trainings, they were scared that Soul Society would do something to her. But since Head Captain Kyoraku took the position some things had change and he was in deeply gratitude to the Kurosaki's, we wouldn't dare to have them against him.

"We really didn't know that Akari-chan was going to increase that amount of reiatsu" Orihime said with her gentle voice, almost talking as if Richard was her own daughter "I mean, she's been able to see spirits since she was little, but that was it, that reiatsu in her arm today..."

"It surprised all of us really" Ichigo continued, he was worried "We really have no idea about it"

"And she haven't been resting well lately too… Lately is a few months ago" Kazui said and his parents looked at him concerned "She has told me… I didn't really want to tell, but I imagine that is connected someway"

"It really never happened before?" I asked and the three of them shake the head, denying it. I didn't like where this was going "For how long she's been able to see spirits?"

"If you want to think that is Kazui powers in some way affected her, it's not like that" Ichigo said, quite harshly.

"She told me that since she can remember, like me" Kazui answered more calm.

"I knew that wasn't his powers, Kurosaki, his other friends doesn't seem affected about it, so she shouldn't be" I crossed my arms and closed my eyes thinking about another option.

"What if Akari-chan is like Kazui?" Matsumoto said "Daughter of a Shinigami, do you know something about it?" She let the option go, it didn't sound that bad actually.

"No way! Well…" Orihime started saying, then paused a second and continued "I mean, for what we know, she doesn't have Shinigami relatives, Gideon-san it's completely oblivious about the idea like he knows that Akari-chan can see them but he can't see them or really understand any of it and for her mother… Well Minagawa-san can see them too"

"So it's from Akari's mother, she has a strong reiatsu?" Matsumoto continued asking.

"Eh… Well not Akari-chan's mother per se…" Orihime started.

"It's her grandmother, Akari's mother died before we even met her" Ichigo continued the trail of conversation "Minagawa Hayami, her grandmother, has a strong reiatsu but she's not a Shinigami" He sounded determined about it "But I'm sure that old woman knows that I'm Shinigami, even if I haven't said anything"

"The name doesn't sound familiar at all, but for having a strong reiatsu and we haven't check on it, it's strange" I said, glaring at everyone "But also says that Richard shouldn't be attacked if nobody's knows about her"

"You think is an attack, Toushiro?" Kazui asked. The use of my name irritated me, I was now his size god dammit!

"Captain Hitsugaya for all of you, why it's so difficult!" I glared at them quite angry, then continued more serious "I can't really think of another reason, a burn scar just in the place where a foreign reiatsu was, too much for a coincidence" It was also too much coincidence that she had that attack when we are looking for a zampakuto, but the ideas didn't combine that well yet, so I preferred to kept that to myself. At the moment. "I would recommend to keep an eye on her, just in case, there was nothing around her house when I went there, but again just in case" I stood up from the table, giving a silent order that we all should go to rest "I'll watch around tonight, we'll take turns, the mission needs to be taking care in the day so, it won't be trouble"

The idea seemed to like it to all the Kurosaki's, now they seemed more calmed. The rest of the group also stood up for the leaving.

"Thank you for that, Toushiro" Ichigo did seems grateful for it, that girl surely was like another family member "We'll help with the zampakuto in what we can"

"No problem, still Soul Society owns you a great debt so" We were now outside, the temperature was lower and I felt better in that ambient "Thanks for the food, Kurosaki" I said and nodded slightly, leaving the place, Matsumoto followed the thanks and then went back behind me, Madarame and Ayasegawa went to another direction and Ichika just waved goodbye with the Kurosaki's.

"Akari-chan surely it's an important person to all of them, don't you think Captain?" Matsumoto said in a serious tone, something rare in her. We were now far from the house, getting to Orihime's old place.

"It wasn't obvious?" I could only said "I seriously thought that Kurosaki was going to attack me for what you said" I glared at her showing that I didn't forget about it, it was still kind of strange that after many years wasn't difficult to really look at her eyes now that I was almost the same height as her, her blue orbs were showing a hint of amused again.

"Come on, Captain~ I need to light up the mood!" She giggle about it "And you can't say that she isn't pretty! I would even dare to say that she will be pretty than me! More punk but still!" She started rambling and comparing her.

"At my own expense!" I growled cutting her mumble, we were now passing through Richards's house it was really late so it was surprising to find a light of a room still on.

"So this is where she lives!" She exclaimed at my side, making me notice that I had stopped to watch the place. I resume the walking, quite confused "Captain, you didn't answer!"

"Answer what?"

"Don't you think Akari-chan is pretty?"

"What's the point of the question?" I was annoyed, again. Why couldn't she be a normal lieutenant? I sighed.

"She seemed interested in you! Well… She and I think most of the class we are now, since you passed the cute little kid phase everybody is looking more at you, Captain! I mean I know you've been with girls in the Seireitei and… That reminds me! What about our third seat, she looks interest in you Captain!" I more than annoyed now, why she has to be this way!?

"FOR SOUL KING'S SAKE MATSUMOTO!" I shouted, then with a lower tone continued "I'm out of here!" Using shunpo I left her behind. I couldn't understand the need of gossip of that woman, that's my private life, she didn't need to know anything about it and it was better that way. In a second I crossed the river and was in the Sakurabashi District, that were more apartments of the sort, another second I was in front of the door of Inoe's, well now Kurosaki's, old apartment and Matsumoto wasn't nowhere around, few seconds of peace, I went inside and closed the door behind me knowing that she had a pair of extra keys.

Orihime's old apartment haven't changed that much, probably she had put a set of rules for other Shinigamis to follow and don't destroy the place. In some way the place seemed smaller than before or really my difference of height was making see things in other perspective?

" ** _Things change of perspective when you look different, master_** " Hyorinmaru's voice echoed in my head.

 _'_ _You are not exactly helping_ ' I said in my mind, answering while getting to one of the rooms. I decided to start the patrol right away so then I could get a chance to rest later and that way I could avoid Matsumoto.

" ** _You seem trouble about this girl, master_** " That's not something I wanted to hear from him.

' _I'm being paranoid?'_ I took the soul candy, feeling my separation with the gigai kind of relieve it to be outside of it. "Stay here and don't listen to the woman that's going to arrive soon" I ordered to the mode soul now inside the gigai, which his only reply was "Yes, sir" I leaved the place by the window and started checking the new monitor, that looked like a cellphone, for any activities.

" ** _I can't really say that, too many coincidences are quite strange, indeed_** " He replied. I moved around the city searching for anything, first the supposed places that had the strange reiatsu.

' _The problem is how she could be connected with the zampakuto, that doesn't make any sense'_ Many places of the register that the 12th Division put in the cellphone were workshops, there were way too many of them, but it was obvious that rare presence. One place did take my curiosity was an old styled house over a hill, the presence was really strong in there ' _In the end we are talking about a zampakuto that has an owner, no matter what, that doesn't change'_

 ** _"_** ** _What if there is a small possibility?"_** He said like it was an option. I frowned at the idea. Now I was at Richards's roof, there was still the same light in one of the rooms on.

' _A zampakuto changing of owner? That sounds quite inexistent, Hyorinmaru'_ I searched for any strange reiatsu, but the only one I could feel around was Richards's.

" ** _I know how it sounds, but who knows? I think we had passed the strange circumstances long time ago"_** Of course he was right, after so many things that had happened in the Soul Society and in the Living World, especially all the situation with Kurosaki, it was kind of stupid to think that strange things couldn't happen.

I stood in a plane part of the roof where I could see just the room that was with a trim light still. From inside I could see a bed alienated with the window and I could see Richards still up with headphones doing something with a few things on top of the bed. She was facing the window but was so concentrated on what she was doing that could only look at her hands, the headphones maintained the long blond locks from falling to her face, she had a deep frown in her expression. Whatever she was doing, it was way too late for her to be up, why she was still up? Apart of the frown, she really looked tired, that morning when they met her it was obvious to see the bags under her eyes, right now was still the same.

Even if she looked tired, I couldn't deny that she was indeed a pretty girl, maybe a little punk like Matsumoto said, but it was going along with her image, but even with the tattoo and the piercings she seemed like a gentle person. Wait… Am I really thinking that? For the Soul King's sake, Matsumoto got her ideas in my head!

" ** _So you do seem interested in her in other ways, master"_** Hyorinmaru sounded really amused in my head.

"Quiet!" I said out loud. I realize my mistake at the right time and went over the roof.

"Somebody's there?" I could hear Richard opening the window under me, I totally forgot that is a high chance that she could see me. It's good that I have quick reflexes, if she could hear me, she would totally see me. "Maybe I should really go to sleep, stupid dreams I hope it let me rest…" She closed the window and after a few minutes, the light turned off. I relaxed my position, knowing that she wouldn't hear me now.

I was glad that Matsumoto wasn't here, she wouldn't let me forget it. I checked again for any activities, it was a quiet night, there was nothing of my interest. I would notify in the morning to everybody else about the places I looked up. For now, it was good idea that I went to sleep too. But there was something in my mind still when I get back to the apartment and went inside the gigai, why was Richard still up at that hour? And what dream she could possibly had to keep her up?

Now laying down in the bed I could only think of that. I wasn't seeing the big picture and that was irritating me, however it was the first day, I needed to rest. It wasn't that long until I felt my body calm down and drift into sleep completely.

* * *

Suuuunday update timeee! :D

I update late today, sorry! But here, here is the chapter! I hope you like it! Now we have a few ideas about the line of the fic, but believe me, there's still many things to happen! :D

I hope you like it! See you next week!

Also thank you to the new follower! I hope you are enjoying this !


	9. Oshiro's Great Workshop!

Akari's POV:

I was in the desert, again.

But I was there.

I was staring directly at the tall round columns, maybe ten meters each one. The wind was still harsh and cold, the sand still scratching my skin, but I was just a few steps from it, I could finally detail everything.

Each column had many set of chains attached to it, some were broken or completely destroyed, but most of it were still intact. The pillars had some figures carving in it, I couldn't identify any of them, even more with the state of the rock, many places with holes and broken spots, probably from where the attachment of the chain was.

I was able to finally see what they were keeping in one place.

The person attached to the chains was a woman, probably a tall one because just being at her knees she was almost at my chest, her body remind me of an amazon, strong and bulky, even if she had many cuts from the many chains that keep her arms up, there was an absurd amount of shackles keep her in that position. Her white skin tinted in red from her own blood, but also a few red marks like tattoos all over her body, her head was covered thanks to her long messy hair that went from dark blond to a strong red. Her clothes ragged were more like a tunic hiding a chest armor corroded by the time with an obi in her hips, the rich red and gold colors from it were now opaque for the amount of dirt she must had been resisting over the years. Or well… I thought it was years that she was keep in that cold desert.

I walked close to her, extending my hand to touch her. I couldn't understand why I was feeling worried about her, why I need to help her, almost protect her as she was an important part of my life.

Suddenly her head went up staring directly at me and scaring me, making me fall backwards to the sand. In that position the woman looked more threatening, her face was covered in the same red marks as her body, but there was one nasty scar going all over her face, passing through her right eye then the bridge of the nose ending in the left cheek. Her right eye was white with no pupil, meanwhile her left eye was red, dark red like blood shining amused, a long grin smile went showing at her face, scaring me even more.

" ** _Don't be afraid, my little blacksmith"_** Her voice echoed all around us. It was a reassuring voice, even if her face was looking like a maniac. " ** _I'm not going to hurt you, you are the first one that can hear me after so many centuries"_**

"W-Who are you? Where I am?" I said standing up, she also stood up with more difficulty than me, showing that indeed was tall, probably close or passing the two meters.

 ** _"_** ** _We are in your head and my name is…"_** Suddenly a cold wind appeared, making the chains hit each other and doing that, I couldn't hear her. Her smile disappeared for a second but returned more soft almost gentle " ** _Probably need a little more time for me to tell you that, but don't worry you will"_**

"But I don't understand! Why are you here?! How's that we are in my head?!" The wind was getting harder every second passing, making me shout the questions, covering my head with my arms.

" ** _You will know, Richards Akari"_** I looked at her surprised for knowing my name, then a felt a really cold but gentle embrace at my shoulder, I looked behind me seeing nothing " ** _Looks like our time is up, please salute the Ice Dragon for me"_**

"W-what? Wait!" I shouted again back at her. But I couldn't see her anymore because of the sand "Wait! Hey! HEY!" I shouted, again and again.

I woke up in a jolt, noticing that I wasn't in my bed but with my arms folded over a desk. Where…?

"Richards, come on, the class already finished you fell asleep" That's went I felt Toushiro's cold hand over my shoulder. I looked up at him confused, he only sighed "Class. Over. Come on" He lifted his hand and for a second I could swear that he looked worried. But maybe it was just my imagination.

I had to remind myself that I was in school and just sleep for who knew how long?! What the fuck is wrong with me?! What day was even today?! I looked at my cellphone and looked for the date. Saturday, it was midday. I just sleep all over the Japanese class?! I'm so doomed!

"Are you ok?" Right, Hitsugaya was still there and was staring at me with a raised eyebrow.

"No! I just sleep during the Japanese class, again! That's my worst one!" I put my hands over face "Fuck, I've been sleeping in most of his classes, I'm going to fail this semester!" Stupid dreams are messing with my school time!

"You know if you need help, you can ask" He continued and I looked astonished at him.

"Are you offering to help me?" I asked without believing it. He only shrugged and nodded.

"I'm better at that so the-WAH WAIT!" Before he could finished his sentence, I threw myself at him, hugging him almost making him lost his balance.

"You are a savior! Thank you, thank you thank you!" I said. It's been two weeks since Kazui's friends arrive to the school, in that time I had notice that Toushiro was really good in almost every class, especially Japanese. And in that time I had been sleeping in almost every Japanese class and that was leaving me behind.

"You don't understand the concept of personal space, right?" He said quite annoyed. I only smiled at him, noticing that he was going red.

"Nope! Don't be so embarrassed" I continued to smile, more like a smirk, even if our faces were quite close to each other. He looked down at me, angry, his teal eyes bright with annoyance. Heh, he was easy to mess with.

"Richards…" He practically growled.

"Akari-chan~ Hitsugaya-san~ Come on! We are waiting for you!" Rangiku said while getting back to the room. We both stared at her that was with a surprising look. "I've never thought that you were going to be this fast, Hitsugaya-san!"

"What-No! That's not-!" He then took my hands and separated me from himself, I was laughing with his reaction. His face changed of a different shades of red.

"You are so shy!" I said still laughing. Pointing at his face.

"Shut up Richards, you too Matsumoto" He said low and clear, now leaving us behind, making us laugh more.

We followed behind, now united with the creative group, I had grew fond of them even if it had been that short time. It's been kind of crazy, but I couldn't be bored around them with everything they do. However in that time I had been also growing tired, I hadn't been able to sleep well in all of those days and the only moment I could find peace was in class… For my great misfortune, and fell asleep during Japanese class, making everything more difficult.

"Oi Akari-chan, again trouble sleeping?" Kazui said at my side, obviously worried.

"Yeah… I think I'm getting insomnia or something like that" It wasn't the real truth, but it wasn't a lie completely.

"You should check on that, goldilocks or you'll be sleeping in more classes" Ichika said, now we were outside the school, a few students around in the clubs or things like that.

"Don't remind me, It's been difficult" I said quite disappointed of myself.

"But there's no trouble now! I got an idea Akari-chan!" Rangiku said while putting an arm around my shoulders "Let's go shopping until you are tired enough to sleep!" All the men growled at the idea, probably because they were going to be holding the bags.

"It sounds great, but I need to go to work instead" I said which made Rangiku put a pout face.

"But I wanted you to join us!" She continued.

"Sorry Rangiku, I really need to get back to work and I have a project to do before my birthday so…" I said while stopping my track "I really should get going"

"I don't like your project" She replied, still with a pout "But anyway, if you want to join us later, you call us ok?" Most of the guys replied something about they weren't going, but the bombshell didn't seem to listen.

"Sure! Well see you, _mates"_ I said while waving goodbye, changing the direction of my tracks.

I headed first to my grandma's house, ate lunch, change my clothes to the "uniform" for work –a tight t-shirt with a loose button shirt over, jeans and a good pair of boots- then took the materials that my grandma bought to a large bag and after many maneuvers, patience and balance, also took the box with the katana and headed out.

So I was with my purse, a very big bag at my right and a large box over my left shoulder, also wearing the winter coat, a scarf hiding my mouth and nose, gloves and my headphones shielding my ears. It was a particular cold day, so I felt every inch in my body tremble from it, the idea to be inside the warm workshop sounded great, so glad the place was close to my grandma's.

In one of the many busy streets of the Kitakawase District, there was a two story house united with a one story house with a large sign written in it "Oshiro's Great Workshop" with picture of a hammer hitting an anvil. The first floor of the bigger house was part of the workshop, there was the counter, Oshiro-sensei's office and the warehouse, everything that was ready to sell was in that building, on top was the apartment where the Oshiros –grandfather and grandson- lived. Connected to the first floor was workshop itself, all the little building was just places of work and where everything happened.

You need to pass the bigger house to go to the workshop, so that's where I entered. The bell on the door made its sound and the sudden warm from inside welcome me, what wasn't that pleasant was the look of Oshiro Ikaru in the counter, looking me with a sly smile as if I was in trouble.

"Oi, Akari-chan~ Grandfather was thinking about firing you for all these weeks you disappeared" He said with an amused tone.

"Oshiro-sensei was aware on when I was going back to work" With that he lost his smile "Something else you want to try?" I said while passing the little door in the counter and heading back to leave all the things.

"I'm in charge today" That leaved me frozen at my spot, turning around I could see him again with his smile, knowing that he won. "So, whatever you are trying to do, you can leave it for later, I already have chores for you" My eye twitched with the ideas he could had, every time he was in charge it means that I was going to do anything of my real work but house maid work. And that for obvious reasons, fucking sucks.

And there I was.

From apprentice of blacksmithing to house maid in seconds. I had to organize and clean one part of the warehouse which was in an incredible disaster, change the order of the counter –which was actually great idea because that let me put few of my products more visible- at the moment, I was cleaning outside with the cold still and not doing my real fucking work!

"All because that stupid Oshiro is in charge!" I stared mutter to myself "Iwayama and Arashi also doesn't help at all! Of course! They never liked me, so this is the only way they keep me outside of everything! Ugh! Who they think they are?! We are supposed to be co-workers! Oshiro-sensei accepted me in this and I've been doing a great work! This is so stupid! They are jerks! Stupid! Assholes good for nothing! I hope they burn in Hell someday! They just…"

"Sounds a little harsh to wish them to burn in Hell, you know" I voice behind me said, making me yelp and turn around totally scared.

"Hit-Hitsugaya! Where the hell do you came from?!" I put a hand in my heart trying to calm it down. Hitsugaya was just there with his winter clothes, with a little amused smirk. The Ice Prince was a sassy jerk. Who would've thought?

"That's really what you are going to ask? You are not scared that I heard you insulting your bosses?" He was still with a cocky smile, he was really amused about what was happening. I can't believe it.

"One: my real boss is not here and I would never insult him, two: they all know how much I hate them so" I shrugged now calmed, after the heart attack he leaved me "And you, where you came from? Why are you here?"

"If you hate them so much why are you still here?" He continued asking, I was going to reply that he didn't answered my question, but keep talking "I'm searching for something that I think it was stolen when my Matsumoto and I moved here"

Of course, for the short time knowing them it was still a strange idea that Rangiku and Toushiro were related, cousins to be exact, they moved to Karakura Town so a uncle of them could afford their expenses because looked like their parents weren't there that much. Everything sounded quite strange to be honest, but what the hell would I know?

"I really don't have any more options, literally" I cut that topic of the conversation, because I didn't want to rant about how still in the 21st century many people couldn't see a woman working in blacksmithing. Really stupid "What exactly are you looking for?" I said supporting my chin over the broom.

"It's an old katana that's been in our family for quite some time, It's not really much, but I don't know if in the moving somebody took it thinking it was valuable" He didn't seem like the type of guy of keeping stuff for sentimental value and he almost sounded like trying to convince himself more than me.

"Depending of the era of the katana, it could actually be very valuable, even if it is broken" I shrugged and he looked at me curious "What? This is the kind of stuff I do like so, I know, Hitsu-kun" Now he looked annoyed by the nickname, I smirked "We actually make sure that the things the clients bring us are not stolen, but you know sometimes things pass without knowing it, come" I walked to the entrance and opened the door to the shop, passing and then letting him pass, the bell ringing made Oshiro react.

"Hitsugaya-san! Welcome to the shop" He said in his best fake happy tone of friendly servitor, or maybe it sounded fake because I couldn't stand him at all "Go, now Akari-chan I can take it from here, you need to do many more chores" Yeah I couldn't stand him. I gripped the handle of the broom.

"It's Richards you ass-"

"Nah ah ah, I'm the boss remember" He cut me with his most annoyed tone, making me twitch my eye.

"Sure… Oshiro" _Fucking asshole._ I sounded harsh, making a last view to Toushiro that instead of looking at the scene curious that it's what I thought he could be, he seemed serious and glared at me with an expression that I couldn't really understand, he seemed angry, annoyed? I didn't know "I'll be outside if you need me" With that I made my leave.

Toushiro's POV:

When Richards leave I couldn't stop thinking about how much contempt was in her look against Oshiro. I knew the story only superficial, they used to date and everything ended really badly, and for what I could notice, the way he treated her wasn't helping either way.

I felt quite disgust by that reaction. The card of 'I'm the boss and you're subordinate' it was one that I hated and make the best to not used it in my squad, it showed how flawed your actions were and that you didn't care at all about them. Being a small workshop or military it was necessary to show respect in both ways.

"That's how you treat your workers in front of clients?" I glared at Oshiro not too harshly, he still looked amused by the situation.

"It's just a joke, you know, we all from the same class, she should laugh a little more, but… Girls, am I right?" He tried to make it like it wasn't that much and I had to say, it wasn't working that much in not to dislike him. But I wasn't there to make longer my stay.

"Anyway, Oshiro-san I hope you can help me with this" I pass over his commentary, but I didn't pass his frown for not follow the conversation, reaching for one of the pockets in the jacket the paper with one of the copies of the drawing of the zampakuto, then passing it to him.

He opened the paper and I could swear that saw a hint of surprised in his grey eyes. But his smile and easy going didn't leave him.

"Is this for making or…?" He asked now glaring at me.

"More like looking, I think it was stolen when I moved here" He nodded and then whistle.

"It's a really pretty fortune I guess, then, stolen such a shame, Hitsugaya-san"

"Thought that maybe somebody could come and sell it?" I repeated the act we made up, a katana, lost when moved out, thinking maybe somebody took it and sell it. We distribute all the places that were possible to find it, but we didn't thought that there were that many and not only in the city but in the outsides, this would take us long to search in all the places even if we were a big group.

"I would remember if somebody came with this in the store, but let me see what I can find" He said and then started searching back the counter "So Hitsugaya-san, you practice kendo?"

It was an odd question to blurt out. I couldn't see him now that he was under the counter probably searching.

"Why you ask?" Before answering anything, better to know why.

"It's a really fine katana you are looking for, even if it was from family, I'm guessing, it seems that you are really eager to find it" I couldn't really make anything from only his voice, I didn't know what to answer "And I saw you the other day in the gym with your group" He popped from behind the counter and looked back at the paper.

"Ah…" I didn't remember that, or probably that I wasn't aware that he was paying us attention "Yeah, I've been practicing for a few years now" Or decades, but those were details.

"That's cool, maybe you could get in the school club, we are pretty good" He moved outside the counter and started looking at the katanas in display, then the paper.

"I'm in a private club, but thank you for the offer" Then it hit the 'we' "You practice kendo?" He nodded, quite absent in looking for the katana.

"Since I was little, I'm more of using the katana than making it" He said "I'm going to look at the back" He told me and just went there.

While he was at that, I started feeling the reiatsu around me, trying to find the one specific, but even having the workshop in the other building, the place itself was warmer thanks to the radiators on for the winter, I didn't work that well in heat, so it was kind of complicated. I sensed first of people, apart from Richards with her great reiatsu, Oshiro had the normal for human, as well of a pair in the workshop, I could sense one more faded that probably was Oshiro's grandfather but there was nothing out of ordinary. Probably that place will lead me to a dead end.

Seeing that Oshiro was taking his time, I started looking at more trivial things, like the different things they sold. Going from katanas to ornaments to jewelry, it was a huge market in just one place. The crafting in most of the products was actually really impressive, the katanas were more for decorative purposes so it had more details than it usually does, but it didn't mean that was overlooked their actual function. As a Shinigami we always overpassed the structure and magnificence of the actual work of doing a zampakuto, all because we could just repaired as our soul healed, having the ability of actually repaired with instruments was an astounding skill that should be more appreciated.

The jewelry even if just the idea seemed wrong, was perfectly presented and while was well accompanied by the different swords, it didn't seem opaque by it. There was a great variety that probably Matsumoto would buy them all. Necklaces, rings, earrings, bracelets of many designs were all over, some adorned with gold, silver, some of them with precious stones, other more simple just iron or steel, but still quite an impressive work, and I was sure that certain blonde was responsible for them.

"Amazing how skilled she is with her hands don't you think?" My trail of thoughts were broken by Oshiro getting back.

"Richards made all of this?" I just wanted to confirm the idea.

"Yeah, all pretty but actually doesn't last that long the things that she does" It was an obvious lie, why the need to support her and then let her bad. "But she is actually really good in other things with her hands, you know" There was a pause for let the idea sink in that only make me angrier "Even if she is a crazy girl that see ghosts, you should be careful" He smirked like it was the best advice in the world. This guy was pissing me off.

"Did you find anything?" I just went to the point, if a leave sooner the better. He did looked annoyed that I wasn't following his game.

"No, there's nothing like this here sadly, I hope you can find it" He returned the paper and a folded back in my pocket, then headed to the door "But being serious tho, Akari attracts weird stuff, even Kazui has weird shit with him, Hana and Emiko are too good for them"

"Look Oshiro, I appreciated your concern and accept your help with the katana, but I know Kurosaki for much longer time than you, so I trust his opinions more than yours" I saw his frown getting deeper, more annoyed "Just because Richards and you have a bad past doesn't mean you can degrade her like you do" I opened the door, hearing the bell "That make you look obsessed with her, seems like you haven't got over her, so before being concerned about me, you should apply that advice to yourself. I'll just take my chances" With that a leaved the store, leaving a really angry Oshiro.

A cold breeze welcome me outside, helping me calm down of the situation, but I felt better with the idea to let him angry about my thoughts. What's his deal anyway? What's the necessity to talk that way to classmates? Is understandable they had a rough time, but Richards barely talks about him, so why couldn't him?

Getting my attention back to the busy street, I saw Richards talking happily with an old man, a salt and pepper beard was prominent even with the scarf hiding part of his face, he was the same size as me even if his big body made him look larger, his hair hid in an old fashioned hat. He seemed like a particular character.

Richards notice me leaving the store and make signs to get close to her. I didn't want to interfere in the conversation but she seemed okay with the idea, I walked toward her and the mystery old man.

"Hitsugaya-kun! I like you to meet the real boss of this great establishment, Oshiro Katashi" She presented the man with a great smile. So he was Oshiro grandfather, now that I was close I could notice that shared the same grey eyes as his grandson. I bowed a little and then extended a hand to present myself.

"Astonishing work you have inside, Oshiro-san. I'm Hitsugaya Toushiro" The man also bowed and extended his hand, shaking mine, then chuckled by the compliment.

"It's appreciated Hitsugaya-san, my workers give the best in each product. Especially Akari, I hope you notice it" By that he put a hand over her head, making her hid her face over the scarf.

"Oh it's nothing, just doing work" She managed to said low under the fabric. She was actually embarrassed about it. That's a new one.

"For what I could see, you are really skilled with crafting Richards. I'll bring Matsumoto one day, she'll probably buy every jewelry in there" With that say, I think she went to a new shade of red and continued to hid in the scarf. Oshiro laughed with her reaction a give her a few pats in her back.

"She is really talented! And the jewelry is easy for her, her challenge is working with the blades, amazing skills and patience that not one of my workers has!" He sounded like a proud father. Meanwhile Richards actually hid her face in the scarf, I couldn't see her reaction. That make me smile a little.

"Who would have thought that Richards would be that embarrassed?" I couldn't resist to say. That make her get off the scarf and show her now red face quite angry.

"I'm not embarrassed! I work hard for all the pieces!" She almost shouted at me, which only make me smirk in response.

"Then seem proud about it, don't hide it" That leaved her quite perplexed "Again, it's an impressive work, I hope to see more, but for now I have to leave" I said, still smirking with her surprise "It was a pleasure to meet you, Oshiro-san"

"Like-wise, Hitsugaya-san" The old man said with a smile. He seemed completely different as his grandson, I could notice why Richards stayed in that place.

"See you in school, Richards" I nodded my head and with that turned around to leave.

There was a moment of silence making a distance for them, then I heard a shout.

"THANKS FOR THE COMPLIMENT HITSUGAYA-KUN!" Turning my head back to see Richards even more red than before, but with her cocky smile. I couldn't hold a chuckle and just wave my hand in goodbye, getting my attention back to the street.

Akari's POV:

Back inside the workshop was a blessing for me, one for the actual work, two for the warmness in the building. I felt alive again. Also seeing Ikaru mad make me happy, I didn't know what happened between Toushiro and him, but I'll make sure to thank him about it. While getting back in a few little work a left in the winter break, I still could recall the compliments from Toushiro. He actually liked my work and told me that I should fell proud of them. This was a new line for me. It was great.

"Akari-chan, now I can talk to you" Oshiro-sensei got me out of my thoughts. Now inside the building he was without the coat and the hat, showing his short, salt and pepper hair. Behind all the hair from his beard is was easy to see his wrinkles, especially laugher lines in his eyes, he wasn't that old compared to my grandma. More like in his seventy's, but he looked even younger.

"Coming!" I took the box with the katana that left under my worktable and followed behind.

We headed to his little office. The room consisted in a few prizes he had won over the years from his works and photos of him with different personalities that bought the katanas over the walls, his desk giving the back to a window doors showing the garden, a library at one side and an old record-player that still left it's soft music play in the room.

"So, the project you were talking about" Oshiro-sensei said while sitting behind the desk.

"Is this" Holding my breath for a second I let the box over the desk, making sure that there was nothing under. Then opened the box and took the katana to show him. He took it gently, inspecting it, quite surprised.

"And you say your Hayami-san keep this beauty for how long?" He arched a brow about it. Still completely focused in the sword.

"She said it's been something like 200 years, there a list of names with the year their receive it" Taking the old piece of paper with extremely carefulness, I showed him. "This one my grandma re-done it from her grandmother, so it doesn't get lost, here is the first name: Homura Chouko from the late 1700's almost or beginning 1800's" He took the paper and whistle with the impression.

"It's a majestic work" He hold the hilt carefully and took the sword out, showing that it was broken "So sad that it's in such conditions, are you sure that you grandmother never used it?" He questioned with serious reasons, such a poor state wasn't for disuse, was for used enough to broken it.

"For what she had told me, no, never. She told me that it broke before my mom died, but not like she broke it more like it broke itself" I shrugged without being sure about it. However, Oshiro-sensei was a really superstitious man, he looked pale behind all the hair for that idea and softly put the sword in the table with all the pieces of the blade.

"That's a quite terrified odd" He simply said while reorganizing the pieces like a puzzle.

"Don't remind me" I said more lightly, even if I could see spirits, superstitions didn't fright me "You think we could remake it?" That was the biggest question.

He muttered something that only he could heard. When all the blade was finished like a puzzle, he stood and inspect it, taking his time to notice every detail in the hilt, sheath and blade. I put the box down on the floor, that way I could see all the pieces and admire what used to be the katana in its better times, now that everything was "together" the details could be appreciate, the red rope that used to be brighter, the actual gold parts of how used to shine, the soft arc in the blade with its black waves in the steel.

"You have all the materials?" He just asked.

"Yes! I found all the remaining materials that my grandma couldn't found, Oshiro-sensei" I said quite more respectful, he was using the voice of someone debating of taking care of a project. If it was really possible to repair it or not.

He stood silent again. Probably thinking everything that we should do.

Then a knock on the door took our attention.

"Come in" Oshiro-sensei answered even if he looked more focused of the katana than whatever was from the knocking.

The door opened showing Iwayama and I frowned at him. Iwayama Tadao was up at his name, a giant man that looked like a mountain, bald head with a black beard and moustache hiding half of his face, that's were all his hair ended. His eyes were also dark black and all his body was like one of the people that could throw a trunk with his big bare hands. Conclusion: someone you shouldn't dare to pick up a fight. He was mostly in charge of the heavy stuff, for obvious reasons.

"Oshiro-san we need your…" He cut his sentence to pass the look at me and then to the katana. Seemed quite in shock about it. Like a ghost just managed to materialize right there and he saw its terrible aspect. But I looked around and found nothing, so I returned the stare at him with an arched brow.

"Something of the matter, Iwayama?" Oshiro-sensei took the words before I say it, without taking his focus off the katana. Looked like Iwayama was also interested about it, but he managed to recover it.

"There a problem with one of the ovens" He answered

Oshiro-sensei just nodded about it.

"I'll be there in a minute" With that he cut the conversation, expecting that Iwayama would nod and leave, but for our surprise he stayed.

"That's quite an impressive katana, from a client?" He asked, getting closer to look better. His expressions changing while getting close, now was a total horror marked. It was strange, he wasn't that interest in katanas even if he knew how to make them, he was just doing them and that's it.

"It's Akari's" I lifted my head like a proud owner when Oshiro-sensei said my name. I was welcome with a mad angry face from Iwayama.

"What the hell did you do to it?!" He shouted at me. Leaving us quite perplexed.

"I'm sorry?" I asked offended "Why do you care?"

He didn't reply, he looked like a kid that made a mistake. I smirked.

"What? Cat got your thong now?" I continued waiting. For a few seconds he didn't reply and keep it that way while leaving the room and shutting the door. Oshiro-sensei looked at me looking for answers but I only shrugged.

"Kids these days" Oshiro-sensei said, for him everybody was a kid, even if Iwayama and Arashi were in their 40s. That made me chuckle a little, forgetting about Iwayama bad character, that was his usual self. Always angry, easy to pick up.

"So, Akari-chan, when is that Hayami-san want it to be done" He said returning our focuses in _my_ katana. That sounded _great_.

"She said for my birthday or before" I folded my arms, waiting for his answer.

"Then what are we waiting? We had a lot of work to do"

* * *

I have to say that I ALMOST forgot that today was sunday :DUUUUU

BUT DON'T BE SCARED HERE I AM WITH THE SUNDAY UPDATE! C:

I hope you like it! :D See you in a week!


	10. Feeling the Curse

Akari's POV:

January was gone, welcoming February. Winter intensified its low temperatures and sometimes left snow around for our entertainment, but mostly for me has been being work, training and study, work, training and study, over and over again.

Tuesdays and Thursdays were karate/aikido days, I would stay in school later than usual for training and teaching, the other days were alternate between going to work (most of the days) or study with Toushiro Japanese. Which was getting harder because I slept in almost every class of it and I was getting further back. Sunday was my day of doing nothing, except if Rangiku, Ichika or Yumichika brought some idea of shopping or hanging around. Between remaking my katana, the classes, keeping my social life and the lack of sleep, my energies were on the floor, leaving my reflexes and attention low.

Which was incredible dangerous for the suddenly clumsy turn I got for it.

Suddenly I got in bad place, bad time kind of situations. I almost got hit by a car, twice in two weeks, if I was close in construction sites things would fall on me, there was some kind of a chase I would run over by someone, Oshiro's workshop was robbed and only my place of work was the mess and my endurance in martial arts were obviously down thanks to the lack of rest.

The world was against me and it looked like it was for the katana.

Since starting working on it, everything looked like a mess. I didn't want to think there was some kind of connection, but it was hard. Maybe an evil spirit possessed the katana and was now hunting my soul. I gulped at the idea.

Maybe it was true. Which didn't help with my terrors. The dreams reinforced the idea for how repeated they were. I got switched between the desert with the red woman and the Japanese palace in fire. Mostly the desert that each passing day the cold breeze was almost gone and felt warmer. The woman keep trying to tell me her name, but it was futile, other times I was far from her and just walked around in nothing, looking for something, I didn't know what, but it felt really important.

For the burning palace, those weren't calm. The man from the first time appeared once or twice, threatening as the first time, but the rest it was just myself trying to get off the place, try to safe my life from the flames. None of the times I actually came out alive. I woke up scared feeling everything burnt around me.

But it was just dreams right? That's what I keep telling myself.

It was Saturday night, I was leaving the workshop and heading home. Waiting at the bus stop to take me to the other side of the town, hearing music, minding my own business in that cold night. The street at that side of the town looked lively, people of my age hanging around, cars everywhere and lights of all colors illuminating around. Some stores were with Valentine's decorations, with all the hearts, chocolates and pink stuff. Everything so girls could buy stuff and show their love to the person they liked.

Yikes.

I don't have anything against the festivity, but I hated that the girls were the ones to declare their love that day. One of the worst feelings not knowing if you were corresponded by someone. I mean, last year it worked, I got to express my feeling to Oshiro and we dated, but before? Not really, it didn't work. So nope, this year was going to be from me to me gift and eat the chocolates all by myself.

At the moment I just wanted to arrive home and throw myself in my comfy bed and sleep until Monday if it was possible, but for that I had to wait. Running around the buildings in Karakura Town didn't sound appealing with tiredness, watery floors and walls and my new constant bad luck. I would die in some stupid way for not be careful. So yep, waiting like a normal mortal for the bus.

My cellphone tremble in the pocket of my coat. Took it out I could see that it was a text from Toushiro, making me smile and feel weird stuff in my stomach. No, Akari is bad that you are having a crush in Toushiro, you shouldn't and you are just knowing him. Oh fuck it, that guy was a piece of heaven. With his grumpy face and all.

Since he started helping me with the Japanese classes, we had grown close to each other, well Kazui confirmed that looked like Toushiro was comfortable around me, which surprised him and made me really happy about it. Even when hanging out all the group, we keep talking about everything, things we liked and things we shared. Even if he was fond of cold locations and I was better in warmer places, we actually shared a lot of things, like quiet reunions and soft traditional music, just talking outside than a wild party and a few things more.

We started studying in the school, but how the rumors fire up everywhere, we decided to go to his house or my house, or even my grandma's. That was quite a funny encounter. While getting back in the memories of that day I replied him back and started chatting.

The bus arrived short after, inside I continued chatting with him, focused only in my music and him. Mostly he wanted to know about my day and if we were going to study tomorrow, a test was coming soon and I need to be prepare, but how the week has been I just wanted to relax and do nothing, I tried to emphasize that so he could tell Rangiku of not having any ideas for the next day.

Half an hour later I was in my stop and I continued chatting without having care of my surroundings. The stop was close to the bridge, maybe two blocks and I was going to cross the river, my movements were almost automatic, I got certain attention to look up the phone so I wouldn't stumble around with that recent terrible odds. I continued walking through the different streets, getting lonelier each step as closer to the river. The music I was listening suddenly got way too louder of how less people was around me, I decided to turn it off and put down the headphones on my neck, hiding them inside the scarf. Silence welcome me, I looked around to found just a couple and no one else. I could notice my breath for the cold and my hands were starting to get colder, I decided to cut the chat with Toushiro for later.

Just as I hid my phone in my pocket, a sudden pressure stopped my movements. It was again that increased of gravity of many weeks before, it was stronger and longer. I need to move, I can't stop, I couldn't let the panic win. With slow but heavy steps I started walking, slowly turning around to see if I could see anyone doing something. But nothing I was alone, not even a spirit around.

Just as it came, it left. Leaving me padding but standing. I didn't wait to regain my breath, I continued to walk faster to my house. I could always be safe in there.

Right?

I got a strange feeling of somebody watching me as I was from a block of crossing the river. Even more strange because I was alone and nobody was in the windows of their houses. Why I had that feeling? Shit, I hated feeling that way. My phone ringed out, breaking the silence in the street and quite scaring me. I picked out and answered without looking.

"Moshi Moshi?" I notice too late my voice trembling.

" _My ray of light!"_ Oh it's just my dad "You okay?"

"Y-yeah just the cold on the street, I will arrive soon so don't worry" I said, letting out a chuckle.

"Oh that's fine! I was going to say that I won't arrive tonight as planned, _my sun_ " He sounded sorry about it. That leave me quite nervous.

"What, why dad?" I controlled my voice so it wouldn't sound nervous about it.

"The level of snow here in Kyoto is quite heavy, the train won't operative until the tracks are clean of it" He explained and only made me more and more scared.

"And plane?" I said as if was the best excuse.

"The weather is still bad, there are not planes to anyplace either, I hope I can arrive tomorrow" I closed my eyes frustrated.

"Sure dad…" I only answered.

"Okay, text me when you arrive home, yes?" He asked.

"Yes, dad"

"Ok, my sun. Goodnight!" With that he hung up the call. I stared at the screen for a few second hearing the "beep beep" coming from the phone. Shit.

" _FUCKING SHIT_ " I shouted. I actually shouted because my nerves were out of control. For god's sake Akari, you've been alone multiple times! What are you so scared of? That weird pressure and the watching feeling that I was scared of.

Shit shit shit shit shit! I was going to be alone! Alone in a house after that weird pressure! The last time it appeared it burned my arm! What the fuck would happen to me if I was alone?! Shit. Shit! What if whoever that could do that actually did something to me!

My body tremble from head to toe and I was quite paralyzed about the idea. I need it to think fast something about not to be alone. But first things first. Walking. Keep walking. With soft steps I started walking, then faster as the same way my mind was trying to find a solution. Maybe I could stay with someone? With who? And what excuse I was going to give? What a trouble person I was. First option: Kazui, a secure option but in this direction I was far from him I still needed to cross the river and I need something close, someone in the district. Who else? Who else, who else.

Toushiro! He was the closest! I didn't know if he was going to welcome me in his house, but probably Rangiku would mind if he didn't want to. Yes! Best option! Instead of taking the corner that would let me to the bridge I went left, straight to Toushiro's, cursing how lonely was everything, my heartbeat was so loud that I thought that echoed in the street, I knew that wasn't true but felt like it. Walking faster I decided to call him before arriving so he wouldn't get a surprise. I picked my phone and called him.

First beep. Didn't answer.

Second beep. Nothing

Third beep. Still no answer.

"For god's sake Toushiro, where are you?" I muttered low and sharp.

I felt something cold touching me in nape of the head, making me to stop and hold my breath.

"I recommend you to hang up the phone if you don't want to get things worse" A harsh but love voice sounded above me. Fuck. God hated me tonight.

Then Toushiro's voice sounded from the phone. Great time to answer Toushiro, just great time.

"Richards? Something wrong?" His tone sounded quite confuse.

"Say that it was a mistake" The harsh voice said lower close to my ear, while feeling a grip in my shoulder with his hand. I could see his breath for the cold that's how close he was.

"Oh god! I got the wrong number Toushiro! How dumb I am! I was just trying to call my dad to say I was home" I said trying to not to sound fake, even if I was trembling all over my body.

"You take it long, are you sure you are ok?" He asked and the grip in my should got harder, hurting me.

"Yes! I was in the ice cream shop to buy some, a whim, you know?" I reply fast, but hoping that Toushiro would keep the line. There was a shop really close from where I was at the moment and it was never open at this hour. I always was complaining about it. Please keep up the idea. Please Toushiro use that big head of yours.

He didn't reply immediately. And the grip was even harder, I wanted to scream but I couldn't. I bite my thong doing my best.

"That's great" He finally reply, but his voice sounded different. "Maybe I'll do the same… You know what I'm looking for it right now" Oh god he did pick it up! "Stay safe, Richards" Then he hang up.

I left the shout of pain out. The man was gripping my shoulder really hard.

"Ok ok! I did what you say!" I hang up the phone showing him the screen, then put it in my pocket leaving my hands on air "What do you want from me?" I didn't know how my nerves weren't showing in my voice, but it was working.

"You have something from my master" Now that I could pay more attention of his voice, it didn't sound right. It was distant, like it was talking from a voice modifier. Probably was that so I couldn't recall it "There's only one way for him to have it back. I have to kill you"

Say WHAT.

"Wait I can show you whatever you want if you tell me! There's no need for k-killing me!" I lost all bravery in my voice with the last. Oh God, why was this happening to me?!

"Is the only way, we know where she is, but if you are alive, we can't grab her" I felt closer the cold thing in my nape now touching my skin.

"Look I don't know what are you talking about, are you sure is m-me who you want to k-kill?" God saying that was actually pretty terrifying.

"I'm sure it's you, Richards Akari, say your last words" He said again close to my ear, feeling and seeing his breath all over me.

"You pick up on the wrong girl, asshole" With that I stated that that night wasn't going to be my last.

Quickly with my right hand I hold whatever was in the back of my head, with the other I directed a fist through the face of the man. The fist didn't reach his face, but he free his hold of me and I could grab the thing behind my head, which was a knife and getting far from me. Gritting my teeth I hold the pain from the cut and turned around to face my opponent.

The man was tall but had a thin structure, short dark hair was all I can see because he had his head low, he looked well trained but there was something about him that was off. Something saying me that I shouldn't underestimated this man even if I had experience fighting people like him.

"Great move, I didn't expect your reaction" He laughed a cruel laugh, then got his head back up.

I gasped terrified for what I was seeing.

Apart of the devilish grin that I didn't know how it fit in his face it looked way too forced. His eyes were all black. Not a single part of white, everything was black. What the hell was I seeing? What the fuck I was against to?

"You looked surprise! There's something wrong Akari?" He said, amused about the situation.

"D-don't say my name! Who are you?! Why do you want to k-kill me?!" I tried to make a fist in my hands, but the cut in the right hand was deep and was hurting a lot, I couldn't close it right, the cold wasn't helping at all.

"I told you, you have her! And the only way to retrieve her is killing you!" Who was her?! What he fuck was wrong with this guy?!

"I don't know what you talking about!" I shouted, trying to make him take a reason.

"Ah, but you do! But enough talking, I just want to finish this"

He run at me and with his knife headed to my head. I blocked with my arm cutting the fabric of the coat, not doing much of a cut in my skin. But didn't stop for that and with his other arm grabbed my defense and with the opening kick me in low my ribs with such an inhuman force that move me completely of my spot, hitting the floor with my shoulder on little alley on the street.

He balanced himself over me and without a second thought I hold up a knee to the center of this stomach, leaving him without air and managing to get him off me. I stood up fast as the pain let me, run from that crazy man and look for help, but as soon I started walking I felt a hold in my left foot and grabbing it at the opposed side and back with great force letting me without balance and falling direct to my face. I didn't hear a crack, so nothing was broken, yet. I shouted for help and then I felt my foot twisted in a really bad way, making me scream at the top of my lungs. He drag me at him and with that impulse I kick him directly to his face, feeling the crack under my foot, setting me free. I tried again to stood up put the pain in my other foot just touching the floor make me fall again. The cold I was feeling in my wounded hand wasn't helping to support either. Way too quick for me to react or even heard him moving at me again, he put a knee in the small of my back with a controlled force leaving without air, he reclined over me feeling all his weight, with his free hand he grabbed my hair in what I thought was a fist making me hiss and raised my head, holding the knife close my neck, ready to cut.

"Aren't you quite a livid girl? So sad it will end now" The cold sensation in my neck freaked me out, but the adrenaline wanted me to keep fighting even if I couldn't move.

This was really how it ended for me?

I closed my eyes, frowning trying to hold the tears back. I didn't want to give up. I didn't want to die. I didn't. I didn't. Please. Someone. Please. Please. Help me! Someone! HELP!

I felt a sudden hit over me making the knife go deeper cutting a little, shooting my eyes open for the surprise. But the grasp in my hair was gone, as the weight in my back and the knife make a sound of clashing as hitting the floor. I looked at it quite astonished, gasping for air and with my wounded hand I hold were the cut in my neck was, feeling the blood going down. What…?

"Richards, can you hear me?!" Toushiro's alarmed voice made me look up at him. He was kneeling in front of me, his teal eyes looking at me worried. I just nodded in response, still trying to retain my breath "Ok, listen to me" he took off my scarf gently, now I was noticing that I wasn't carrying my headphones, but just focused Toushiro's hands, he made a lump with the scarf and took my wounded hand that was trembling a lot, all my body was trembling now that I could notice, off the cut in my neck, put the fabric on it and then put it back in the cut with certain pressure making me hiss a little "I know it hurts, but you need to keep pressure in there so you don't loss more blood"

I just nodded at him. My mind was working at full capacity but my body wasn't responding the same way. Toushiro was here, he did understood my message. God bless him and his big head, he just saved me, he just saved me and I didn't know how to respond.

A shadow behind him made me react just on pure panic.

"BEHIND!" I shouted just as fast as he defended the attack from the crazy man, separate him from us. I didn't know if in my panic mood I felt everything colder, trembling more than before and noticing the breath from everybody.

"So the bitch is not as stupid as she seems, impressive" The man said, still smirking even with his broken nose, blood was all over his clothes from that hit I gave him before "Bring a friend to the battle. Really, really impressive"

"Who are you and what do you want from her?" Toushiro's voice was calm but harsh. Also authoritarian, like he knew exactly how to handle the situation.

"Ha! Really impressive kid, do you think yo-…" His mock didn't last much, with a velocity that the man and I didn't expect, Toushiro grab him from the collar of the coat and pushed him back to the wall with a great force, leaving him with no way of moving.

"Don't dare to call me kid _again,_ now, who are you and why are you here?" The coldness in his voice actually scared me a little bit.

"Oh? I see, we didn't expect this, then there's no matter to continue this" If there was a hint of surprise, I didn't notice at all, his dark grin only looked worse "We'll see each other again Richards Akari, that time you'll not have such luck" Even in his pitch black eyes I could feel him staring directly to me.

Before any of us could react, he screamed with his weird voice, like something was leaving his body, which made Toushiro retreat back to me leaving the man still screaming, then he shut up, fell on the floor and stop moving.

"Oh god, Is he dead?" I said even before I could think about it, staring at the body, Toushiro looked at me with the same extreme confusion I must had. And then the body moved back and I yelped, making him put his guard on.

"W-what's g-going on?" The voice from the man wasn't the same, it was light and high pitch, he whined in pain for a moment "W-why my nose is broken?! W-what happened?!" He hold his nose with both hands and then notice our presence, making me realize that his eyes were normal, his pupils dark brown "W-who are you?! Oh god you are bleeding! You need to get to a hospital!" He stood up and tried to get close to me, but Toushiro stopped him midway.

"You did this to her!" He shouted angrily. The man looked at him horrified.

"M-m-m-m-m-me?!" The man shouted back, without believe him.

"Y-yes you!" I shouted, quite angry, how he didn't remember?!

"T-there's no way! I w-wouldn't, I c-can't, I-I-I…" He continued stuttering making me angrier.

"How can't you remember?! Y-you hit me! Threat me to kill me! What the fuck is wrong with you! Y-you m-monster! You-"

"Richards STOP!"

The shout from Toushiro at me made me stop talking and stared at him with anger, but in his eyes weren't the same anger as before but pity, he looked back at the man that was pale and crying in his knees, muttering "I'm sorry, I wouldn't hurt a girl, I don't remember anything, please forgive me" over and over again.

"He doesn't remember" He said calmly, but there was pity in his voice, probably of how the man was acting. I was getting angrier and frustrated about the situation.

"How's that possible! He must be lying! What the fuck is wrong with him! That's some bull-…"

"AKARI!"

Toushiro's using my name stopped me completely. He watched me again, this time with harsh, his teal eyes seemed quite brighter with the darkness surround us, he was also frustrated, of course he was, it was obvious with that look and I wasn't helping. That's went I notice that I was also crying, it was silent but the lines of tears were heavy. I seemed to notice back everything around me, a part of the loud crying from the man, my body shaking from the feeling I had bottle up, the cold wasn't as heavy as before, my wounded hand felt kind of numb under the scarf that felt wet. The next I processed was Toushiro's squatting in front of me, talking quietly to the man, I couldn't made what they said, suddenly everything felt like too much, but at the same time as it was nothing.

"You can go" He said to the crying man, which looked at him at shock.

"But-!" I replied.

"We are not going to get nothing from him!" Toushiro's cut my reply without looking at me "We both know that it's useless and whatever happened to him it's gone" He was talking to me, he looked at me over his shoulder, showing me that he was also upset about everything, then went back to the man "Go to a hospital, you need to check you face and the cut in your arm, don't say anything about us, I will know" It was a really subtle treat that the man completely took it, the man bowed completely to the floor, murmuring a "Thank you, you are too kind and I apologize for everything I have done to her" and then stood up and flee.

I stared at where the man was. Staring without believing anything that was happening. I noticed Toushiro standing up and walking back to me, but I didn't take my eyes off the spot until he was blocking my view. His teal eyes were looking at me trying to send a message for understand him, to understand that he was probably feeling the same at me and was also worried about me. I just… didn't know how to feel anything anymore, I just started crying more and louder for not understanding anything, for being angry at the man, for being angry at Toushiro for letting the man go, but mostly I was scared. I got closer to Toushiro and put my head in his shoulder and only cried more, I felt how he embrace me, feeling a little safer. He didn't said anything, just hugged me while I was at that state.

Just what the hell is happening to me?

* * *

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	11. Theories

Toushiro's POV

I didn't recall how long it was that we stayed in that alley until Richards calmed down. I had to check on her wounds and make sure that it was nothing serious, she didn't faint from blood loss, which was good, but the scarf was soaked in blood, it wasn't from her neck, also good, but it was from her hand. We argued back and forth about how she needed to get check with Kurosaki, but even with the situation she was as stubborn as always and denied to go to see them.

I let the argument pass, just because neither of us knew exactly what happened and we need it to talk it through, to try and explain everything early tomorrow to the Kurosakis. She agreed upon that and with that I took her to my house, pretty confident that whatever that attack her wasn't going to dare do it again, especially because I'm sure the person behind all notice I was a Shinigami, probably noticed that I was also a Captain. But who were they?

Now in the little apartment, Matsumoto was nowhere to be found, so we were alone. I made an inspection of the wound in her hand and make some work of first aid to stop the bleeding, which was kind of frustrating because even if I was good in first aid, the wound could be completely healed with kaido, but to keep the façade was first, the last thing Richards need it was a some kind of revelation about everyone she knew and broke her trust.

Richards after checking on her wound asked for taking a bath.

"It will help me calm down and I want to get the blood off" She said almost numb. It was strange to look a person as lively as her acting so emotionless. I didn't reply at all, hoping that it would work and would help her process things. Sighing for nth time that night, I leaved her clothes close the radiator so it could dry, most of it ended bloodied with the fight so I offered to clean them off with my coat and gloves, saying that she could use something from Matsumoto for the night, after a little set of protests she agreed and when she went to the bathroom she left the pile of clothes near the almost closed door.

"Do you need anything?" I said while passing to get Matsumoto's clothes, the light inside the bathroom filtering outside.

"No, thanks" She replied in a quiet tone. I almost thought that I imagine her reply. I went back to look for the clothes only to find Matsumoto's room locked. Great moment for wishing privacy. And thinking about her, where the hell was she? I looked at the clock to see that it was almost 10, if she wasn't doing patrol, she was probably drinking with Madarame and Ayasegawa.

When I needed her the most she always disappears. I only checked Richards's hand because was the most severe wound, I still needed to check if she had something else apart of the cut in the neck and her twisted foot, she yelped when I touched around her waist to pick her up back in the alley, so there was something around and need to look up without clothes.

I paused for a moment at the thought, feeling how everything in my face felt hotter. I pitched the bridge of my nose trying to calm down, frowning more about the idea. I was a Captain of the Gotei 13, I shouldn't have this childish thoughts and besides is not like is the first time seeing a woman naked. It was for helping and it wasn't going to be completely naked. Soul King, why.

I went back to the task of looking for clothes, something in my wardrobe should fit her. A black t-shirt and pair of pajama pants would work, I took them and went back to the hallway.

"Matsumoto's room is locked, so you'll have to use something mine" I said in the hallway, letting the pile of clothes over the most reachable surface I could make without peeking inside.

"… Are you sure is not problem?" I heard from inside. I dared to look at the space that showed the mirror, from the angle I was looking I was able to see Richards reflection in the tub, she looked embarrassed, her cheeks getting a red tone.

"Is not" I said back, looking the other way embarrassed "I'll be in the kitchen, if you need anything" I continued saying, getting off the image in my head.

"Sure…" She said back.

I went to the kitchen to prepare something to eat, I wasn't that hungry, but I was sure that Richards had nothing for dinner because it was the day she worked until really late and always ate when she was home. While preparing the food to make some ramen, I wondered about what happened tonight.

Just before Richards called I felt a strange reiatsu close, I was getting ready to set off and look around when she called. I knew something was off just by it, but when she said the thing about the ice cream shop I went off as fast as the gigai let me. With her reiatsu spiking up it wasn't difficult to find her, but with how fast she was under control of the man made me sure of don't underestimate his capabilities. After whatever was inside the man leaved him, it was surely a pity view and Richards's state wasn't helping at the situation, it was completely understandable, but that way we weren't going to get any answers.

 _'_ _What is the last thing you remember?'_ I questioned back there at the terrified man.

' _I w-was in the bus stop, w-waiting for going h-home, but t-t-then something cut my arm and then… then I-I-I was here, oh God w-what I h-have done?"_ He answered freaking out more, that's when I notice the cut in his arm, for someone to pass the many layers of clothes and fast that he didn't notice any face, the person had to be precise and knew exactly what he was doing.

Everything was getting more complicated than I anticipated and it wasn't even for the mission per se. In some way, someone had managed to control completely a human civilian in the street without notice, the person was a human with the powers of a Fullbringer? Or an exiled shinigami? An Arancar? The last wasn't really an option, their reiatsu would be specific. But most importantly why Richards? Why she was centered in the attacks? Why would someone attack her? She hasn't told me anything about what happened, maybe she could clarify something. However, the idea of someone with powers of mind control was something I didn't wanted to fight again in my life, but seemed that we all needed to be careful about it. Every day passing in Karakura was getting more off and not finding the zampakuto was leaving us frustrated. I was missing something and I couldn't get the connection.

"Uhm… Hitsu-kun!" Richards call from the bathroom dispersed my thoughts, making sure that nothing would set on fire, I went to the hallway letting pass the nickname, just for this time.

"What?" I asked back at the door.

"Uhm…" There was a pause that only made me concern about what Richards need it help "I thought it was going to be easy to get out of the tub as I got in… But I was seriously mistaken"

A moment passed while trying to get what Richards was asking me.

"You couldn't say that you need help to get out of the tub like a normal person" I said sighing.

"Ha, joke's on you, for understand it!" She said in a voice almost as lively as what she use to "Seriously tho, I can't get out, I got the towel so you won't see anything"

That should make the task easier. It was something simple to do. I shouldn't be **this** embarrassed.

"Toushiro, are you alive?" Richards's voice sounded quite amused. Well she was getting back to be herself.

"It's Hitsugaya, Richards! And yes, I'm coming in" I said as I opened the door and walked inside, I was welcome by the steam of the heat inside, what's the deal with women of bathing at this highly insane temperatures? As she said she was in the now empty tub covered with the towel around her body. Her wet hair stick to the skin, but was off of her face as always, showing some little cuts she got from early, the cut in the neck was still open but with no bleeding, the bandage in her right hand seemed right while her left ankle still looked swollen. Her brown eyes looked bright again and all the remains of tears were gone. She looked better.

"You look like a tomato, Hitsugaya" She said and smirked about it. I didn't notice that but now I could felt the itching in my face.

"Shut up, Richards" I replied while getting in position to pick her up, sliding on arm under her knees and other under her waist. She yelped at the touch and made a pained grin "Hold up a second" With a fast movement I picked her up and she shriek in pain, however in no time I let her over the sink, that way she was seated and could managed to put on the clothes "Put your underwear, I need to check that wound in your waist and attend everything else"

"Sir yes, sir" She did the same salute mocking me when I use my tone for an order, I rolled back my eyes as a reply. I went back to the hallway to give her privacy, the kit of first aid was already inside and the food could wait until I attended all her wounds. "I'm ready"

I sighed, yet again **,** before going inside. I thanked the Soul King that her underwear was sport styled and didn't show more. Her hair was now up in the towel, only a few golden locks escaping from it, I focused back in the wounds, there was a big bruise around her ribs, getting a painful purple tone.

"Are you sure you don't want me to call Kurosaki?" I asked while inspecting the wound.

"Tomorrow" She just replied "Nothing is broken I'm sure"

While squatting and getting the bruise at my level, I touched lightly the bruise, making her jump and get far from the touch. Proving my point.

"Your hand is also cold! Weren't you cooking?" She said annoyed.

"I was, but still, you are terrible injured" I looked up at her brown eyes, which were with a frown.

"It's not the worse I had" She said as an excuse.

"Still, Richards" I said, staring to attend the wound the best I could. She hold with her good hand the corner of the hand-washer to bare the pain, it was obvious in all her face. She was like an open book in that sense.

She didn't answered and seemed like didn't want continue talking, something really strange from her. Probably focused in hold the pain. It really seemed like nothing was broken, but in this way I couldn't be so sure. The scold from Kurosaki in the morning was going to be monumental.

"What happened?" I asked, I had the idea that if I delayed more the question, she wouldn't answer later. I looked up to see her expression, she wasn't with a frown anymore, but was kind of a numb reaction. She sighed and started talking about it.

Between some whined and yelps from Richards, she went telling me everything. Starting with how she felt that something was wrong while going home and decided to change the way. As open book as she was, it was easy to notice that it was a big lie, but I didn't make any suspicion about it and just went on listening and treating the bruises. When going to the call she used another tone that confirmed that in the beginning she was lying, she had some patterns of it, what she wasn't telling me, I didn't know, but it was necessary in the puzzle.

By the time she finished talking, the bruise in her ribs was covered and also her ankle. A bruise in her tattooed arm only needed anti-inflammatory, some cuts covered. Now I was focused in her neck, noticing that something was left of it and recalled that it was the first time seeing her without the shocker with the sun jewel.

"What?" Probably my expression give it away, but make me startled a little.

"Uhm… Your necklace?" I just asked without giving a thought.

"I put it around there" She pointed the surface next to us and there it was "That reminds me, my headphones wasn't around there when you find me?"

I tried to recall the also iconic headphones she was always wearing and remarked that when I found her, she wasn't wearing them but also there was nothing in the alley apart of her backpack.

"No, I thought you had them in your backpack" I said while shaking my head.

"Fuck, they were great" She lament the loss and sighed.

"I apologize for this wound, I just reacted when I found you and for my recklessness you got cut, I didn't payed the necessary attention so you wouldn't get hurt" I said as I covered the cut in her neck, now disinfected.

She moved her head to stare directly at me, getting our faces extremely close, she looked puzzled about what I said.

"You are apologizing…? Are you mad? You saved my life Hitsugaya!" She said quite exasperated "I should be apologizing for being a burden right now! And thank you more for just saving me!"

"You are not being a burden and that cut could've kill you" I stood up and went back for another cotton with alcohol.

"It didn't and again, you saved of that man from actually killing me, I mean I own you a great debt!" She started hissing when the cotton touched the little cuts in her face "It hurts!"

"You don't own me anything" I simply said. I felt the same as if I was helping a comrade or a member of my division, it was nothing, it was the minimum a captain should do.

"You crazy! I buy you dinner sometime!" I couldn't hold the chuckle with her insistence.

"Is not necessary, so please don't" I just said. She made a pout.

"Please! I need to give you something!" She continued trying.

"There's nothing you have to do, I'm going to help you no matter what" With that I put some Band-Aids with the deepest cuts. And she was finished.

"You are not getting off of this one" She pointed at me and I only chuckled more.

"Get ready that way I can finish the food and you can eat" I cut the conversation and passed my clothes, she wanted to keep protesting, but she understood that she wasn't going to win that argument. She put on my clothes that fit her well and help her to get out of the bathroom and to the table, that way she wouldn't move too much.

In short time I finished preparing the ramen and we both ate. She was chatting again while eating, acting more like herself making me quite relieved. By the time we finished eating, it was close to midnight. Richards asked about the whereabouts from Matsumoto and I just replied that was probably with Madarame and Ayasegawa, there was nothing to worry about her, or she would've called.

We both decided to finish for the day, as we were exhausted. After cleaning the dishes, I picked Richards up again and took her to my room. Again, if Matsumoto was here or let her room open, I would took Richards to her room for privacy and she probably would be more comfortable, but no, I had to share bed with her. What I was more worried about this was that while I controlled my reiatsu perfectly, while sleeping sometimes it run out getting colder the room and it was winter. Richards was someone who didn't tolerated the cold, I just hoped that it wouldn't be troublesome.

"You don't have a futon or something else?" She said while I put her in my bed. That I was glad it was a queen size. Her face turned a red color, probably mine was the same way.

"Sadly no, if Matsumoto's room were open, I would leave you there but…" I shrugged.

"… Are you sure I'm not being a burden?" She asked and I only denied with my head.

She sighed and leaned in the bed, only to repeat 'it hurts!' several times, until she was completely down. Also repeated 'I hate this' while getting a position in the bed.

"The painkillers should work soon, however you know I can call Kurosaki if…"

"I said no!" She cut my words in quite excited, only to whine more about the pain "We agree already on this!"

"I know, I was hoping you'll change your opinion" I said giving up finally on the idea, then went to my wardrobe to put my night clothes "Why are you so against it?"

"I'm not mentally prepare for the look of Ichigo-san when I arrive" She simply said and I looked at her expecting some explanation, she seemed to understand because she looked at me with some mix between disappointment and worry "This look" She pointed at her face while saying it.

"I thought he only was annoyed all the time" I turned back my attention to change.

"I mean yes, but that look it's more common than you think, you on the other hand have more grumpy looks than him" She chuckled about it and I only felt annoyed by the comment.

"I'm helping you, don't make fun of me…!" I looked back at her only to find her hiding her face under arms "What are you doing?"

"T-trying to give you privacy!" That's when I recalled that I was changing in front of **her** , I felt once again my face turning red "I me-mean you have an n-nice body bu- Oh shit!" She covered her mouth from saying anything else, muttering still things to herself while moaned in pain putting herself in a ball in her less wounded side, closing her eyes "I didn't say anything! Don't listen to me!"

She wasn't making any of this any easier for us. I changed quickly so we could pass that between us. When I looked back at her she was still hiding her face.

"You can look now" I said at her. She peeked between the fingers to confirm that and then relaxed.

"Oh thank god, I don't think I can handle moving like crazy again"

"Nobody told you to move like crazy" She only shushed at me, making me smirk a little. Glad that she was back at being herself. I looked for a quilt and give it to her for the night. I turned off the lights and lie down in my bed, sighing for finally calming down.

I was almost drifting out when I heard Richards calling me in a whisper. I turned my head to her, the moonlight letting me see her brown eyes staring back at me, with certain determination, but the rest of her head covered under the quilt.

"Hitsugaya, thanks… For saving my life" She said gently, I felt a soft smile making it in my lips.

"Is not problem, Richards. Get to sleep" She nodded a few times and then closed up her eyes. In short time feeling her breathing went even, knowing that she was asleep in short time I fell back too.

* * *

Heeeellouuu my deaaaries! Update Sunday tiiime! How have you been?!

Uniooon chapter, I loved writing this one, was so much fuuun. Silly kids you know?

I want to thanks a lot to my new 4 people that started following my story this week! Really thaaaaaaaaank you so much! Really appreciated!

I don't have anything else to say, hope you enjoyed the chapter :D See you next week!


	12. And Nightmares

Akari's POV:

Waking up from one of those burning nightmares wasn't fun. The jump over, the need to breath and the tremble all over my body it was something that I couldn't stop. Now, putting also that I was also injured from a life threatening experience, it was way worse.

I arched upwards getting off the quilt, suddenly it was way too hot in the room, like every nightmare. I shouted out in pain for the sudden movement, my injury in the ribs hurt like the hell I was just in. I didn't lie back in the bed, instead I was making me smaller, arching myself forward, holding in my throat the moans of pain, with my wounded hand I tried to hold the pain at my side only making it worse for the touch, both hands were close in a solid grip. Everything hurts. My hand, my ribs, my foot. Hell, even breathing hurts.

" _I found you"_ The terrifying voice of the man in the burning palace echoed in my head. He said it like it was a play. Like he was winning. Like he was there ready to kill me. Why? Why was everything happening to me? What was going on? Who was him? Why was he obsessed with me? Why? What's happening to me? Why me? Why? Why?

" _I found you and I'll kill you, Richards Akari, sooner than you think"_ It sounded back it my head. I screamed.

"GO AWAY!" I covered my head with my hands, shutting my eyes. Everything hurts. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't move. I couldn't breathe. Everything hurts.

"Richards!" I felt two strong hands covering my shoulders, shaking me. He was really there? Oh God, I was really going to die? I tried move away of the hold, screamed more, the movement made everything more painful.

"AKARI!" The voice repeated. It wasn't the man's voice. It was different. Suddenly I felt the hands leaved my shoulders and hold my head, gently but firm "Akari it's me! It's Hitsugaya, open your eyes!"

Hitsugaya but…?

I opened my eyes and looked directly to his teal eyes. Those teal eyes were looking me worried, concerned. Some part of me wasn't processing what I was doing there, why Toushiro was there. But some calmness reach me to know that it was him. It was him. I was awake, I was with Toushiro.

"All right, breathe" He said. I stared at him, blinking a few times, still trying to understand "Akari, you need to breathe" He repeated, sounded scared and I felt back that I wasn't breathing right, that the air wasn't reaching my lungs. I suddenly gasped loudly, hold my breath for a seconds and then exhaled again "Ok, again" Again his hands were on my shoulders, holding me. And again I inhaled deeply, everything was getting back. Every piece in its place. I exhaled and almost felt like falling, but his hands were there, supporting me. "You are all right, you are safe" I looked back at him. Noticing that my hands were over his arms, gripping the hold. My body was tense and still everything hurt, but I wasn't terrified anymore. I let my body relax down, like lifting some weight off my body. God, what a mess I was.

"Captain! What's happening?!" A female voice said outside the room and opened the door suddenly, letting the light of the hallway creeping in, hurting my eyes, but I notice the silhouette of Rangiku confused but ready to fight whatever was in the room. She looked at both of us and her confuse state was more obvious "Akari-chan? What…?"

"Go for water Matsumoto, she needs it" Toushiro said like an order, looking at her for a second and then back to me. His shadow protected a little my eyes from the light coming inside. I turned down my head, closing my eyes again, concentrated only in breathing. I heard Rangiku's footsteps going away.

"…It hurts" I was able to say. I was surprised by how low my voice sounded even to me, low and broken.

"What hurts?" He said softly. I breathed once, twice.

"Everything" I exhaled sharply.

"We'll check that in a moment" He assured me. God, his voice sounded that everything was all right, that he could handle everything that he knew exactly what to do. I started to feel that too.

A footsteps echoed in the room and I felt how Toushiro move one arm off my shoulders and then something cold in my free hand.

"Drink it" I looked up to see the glass of water, I hold it up without problem and drunk it all in a few giants gulps. The cold water was a relief to my dried throat and a felt the temperature around me drop with it. I gasped a little when I finished. Feeling so much better.

"Want some more, Akari-chan?" Rangiku could be motherly like sometimes, the idea made me smile slightly.

"No, thanks a lot Rangiku" I looked back at her, giving her the glass, trying to make an assured smile. She reply with a good reassured smile and then look back at Toushiro, probably expecting something with what could help.

"I got it from here, Matsumoto. Go to sleep and thanks" He said back, and Rangiku only nodded.

"You are safe here, Akari-chan" She said and I could only nodded in response, with that she leaved the room, letting the lights of the hallway on and with the sound of her closing door, Toushiro looked back at me.

"Better?" He asked and again, I just nodded. I really didn't have much strength to reply.

Hissing in pain I took off my grip from his arm, when I looked at the palm there was blood in the bandages, I opened back the wound. Toushiro noticed this and was ready to get up for the first-aid kit. In reflex, I grabbed his t-shirt, without caring for the pain or if I stained it with blood.

"Wait" My voice was still low and broken, I looked at him pleading not to leave, not in that moment.

He seemed debating it for a moment, then he took gently my hand off his t-shirt, got closer to me and with a soft look, his hands caress around the wound, I felt comfort from it.

"I need to close the wound" He cooed "It's going to be a second" Before I could reply he turned on a night lamp, illuminating softly the rest of the room "You are safe here, Akari" He repeated and I nodded again. With that he stood up and went to the bathroom where we left the kit, it didn't pass a minute and he was back with it.

With the light I was able to notice a spot of blood that I marked in his arm and t-shirt. I looked around while he was getting everything out and found the watch, showing that it was 3:30 a.m.

"I'm sorry" I mumbled out "You shouldn't b-"

"Don't" He cut what I was going to say "You just passed from a horrible experience tonight, it's understandable that you are scared"

I denied with my head. He didn't understand. It wasn't for tonight. It wasn't me being scared from the attack. It was me scared for some man in my dreams hunting me down. For that repeated nightmare. How could I tell Toushiro? He wouldn't understand.

"It's not that" I said "I just…" I cut it. It was insane. I was insane. He wouldn't believe me.

"What?" He asked, while starting to get off the bandages in my hand. He wouldn't understand. He wouldn't believe me.

"I can't say it…" I stared at how his skilled hands were working, only focusing on that.

"You shouldn't keep it to yourself" I didn't look up to him. I didn't want to. I couldn't.

I bite my lips as response. I hated this part of myself. So weak and terrified of what other could think of me. Because I was a freak. That's what I was.

"Akari" He cooed again. Waiting for my response. With one of his hands he went to my face and move my hair off it in a caress, then went to my chin and made me look at him. With the soft light his teal eyes looked more vivid. Determinant. "Tell me what's wrong"

A second passed. Then another. "You'll think I'm a freak" I said.

"I won't think that" He replied without hesitation.

"You don't know that" I keep denying the idea. I was starting to raise my voice.

"You can't hold that to yourself" He didn't raised his voice, it was the same as he was sure of everything.

"You won't understand!" This time I shouted at him, frustrated. He didn't flinch at my reaction, he was with his same intense stare.

"Try me" He answered with the same firm tone of voice. Confident. Sure of himself and that could take whatever I throw him. That made me laugh bitterly and look away from him.

"For God's sake, you are worse than Kazui" I spited out.

"It's something about spirits?" He asked and I felt how my body tense about it. He didn't need more affirmations "Have you told something to Kazui?"

I waited for a moment, thinking. He wasn't going back to attend my hand until I answered.

"No" I told the truth. I keep looking away from him. If I looked back I lost.

"Why?" He keep asking. God, he was insistent. I felt again how his hands were moving, disinfecting the wound, a bite my thong and shut my eyes when the alcohol touched the wound, when the direct sting passed, I looked back at Toushiro. He was all focused in attending me. I give up.

"I don't want to be the crazy one of the group" If he was surprised that I actually answered, he didn't show. He just looked at me, waiting for me to continue. I didn't wanted.

"I know Kazui for a long time, I don't think you'll be worse than him" He chuckled a little with the thought "Besides, you see the group I'm with, they are not better"

That made me chuckle a little too. It was soft and short. But it was more relieved than before. Maybe he was right. I sighed. I hoped that I wouldn't regret this.

"Ok, I'll tell you" Well, there it goes…

Toushiro's POV:

"What I told you earlier from the attack, how I got a bad feeling and such, I lied" Richards started telling me, I looked at her to continue "Well, more or less, It's something I've been feeling lately, trice to be exactly that I could remember, it's like a heavy pressure in my body, that doesn't let me move at all, like I'm lifting something really heavy, I can't really explain it" If she was talking about what I think she was, she was able to feel a heavy reiatsu around her, probably the same as today and has been following for a time now, I frown at the idea "I don't know what it is, but in the end, is a bad feeling, the first time it happened was the day before you arrive to Karakura, I was going to my grandma's and suddenly that feeling, I thought it was a panic attack when I notice that nothing happened. Then the next morning I was in a rush to get from my grandma's to my house and then to school, and while that in a parking lot, happened again and that's how I got burned in my arm" So that's why there was a strange reiatsu when we meet her. That's why she was changing the story of how it got it.

I finished bandaging her hand and focused all my attention to her. Making my best to keep all the information she was giving me.

"With that in mind, I knew that if I felt that again, I could be in danger" She continued, now moving both hands "I felt it tonight again going home. I was way too scared to be home alone after I felt that weird pressure and I was yet far away to cross the river so I decided to come here. Now that I think about it, it could be dangerous for you both, not a great idea…" She was starting to ramble about it, I focused back in the story.

"Don't think about it, with what you are telling me is comprehensible that you didn't want to be alone and it seems it doesn't attack when you are with someone" It seemed for now, but I didn't know how long that could last.

"That… that I don't know anymore" She sounded doubtful about it, looking down at the quilt as if it was interesting "I don't know if you all are safe with me anymore"

"Why you say that?" I hated to play the mortal that didn't know anything. Everything could be easier if the Kurosaki's had told her something earlier, my limit was with what she knew and for the look of it, she knew more than the Kurosaki's had guessed.

"That's… That's my nightmares" She continued, holding for a second her breath and then exhaled "I've been having these weird, and when I tell you weird is weird, dreams or nightmares, or whatever for some time now, from like... summer past year" Now we are getting to why she was always sleep deprived.

"Like tonight" I just wanted for her to confirm it and she nodded.

"There are two dreams that goes with a few changes every time, but its just two dreams. One it's a dream, like I don't wake up like this scared, I'm just tired, because it's like I'm in a desert alone with nothing around me. Nothing except two giant columns holding a chained woman, dress all in red and with red claw marks like tattoos, but she's terribly injured and she tries each time to tell me her name, but I can't listen, it's the wind, it's the chains, the sand, I don't know, there's always something stopping me from listening and sometimes is not hearing her name, it's me looking desperately for something in that desert, I don't know what it is, but it seems important"

I was glad at the moment that she wasn't staring at me, she was looking at everything except me and really I was glad. My surprise for what she was saying it was something that was probably showing in my expression, I made the best to keep a focused face and show nothing more. She was telling the truth and she was talking about what it sounded like her inner world. The woman could be her zampakuto spirit, there was no doubt in that. But how? It wasn't common for a human to reach that level of concentration with the inner spirit. Even Kurosaki need it the powers of Kuchiki for releasing his shinigami powers, but Kazui didn't and for what I know, he had the same case as her. The same case as me. Having a great amount of reiatsu that could permit that, but probably that was also what was leaving her without resting, only visiting it in her dreams when she doesn't know how to control it, she probably waste a lot or reiatsu in it.

"And you know, I started thinking" I returned my focus in her story "Maybe it's a different form from talking to spirits, I don't know! Names are a powerful things, my grandma always says, so maybe if I listen just once she'll be free or whatever of that place and would leave me alone"

"It sound possible" I could only reply. I bite my thong of saying anything else. I need it to talk to the Kurosaki's later about all the problem, Richards need it to be in, need it to know everything. And was also necessary that Head Captain Kyoraku know about this too. "But for what you said, that dream wasn't the case for now"

"No… That's the other one, that's not a dream. Fuck, I won't even say it's a nightmare, it's more like a hell" She stared at me and this time I could notice that she was terrified about it "Those are more recent and happens less often, but every time I wake up, I'm waking up terrified. Those feel so real" She stopped for a moment. I got closer to her and took her hands careful, showing that I was there supporting her, but that I understand if she wanted to be slower telling this one. She gripped my hand with her good hand.

"Take your time" I said, assuring her that I wasn't going to leave her, that she was safe in there with me.

"I'm in a palace" She started with nervousness in her voice "Is one of this big old palace, like the Imperial Palace, but… Everything is burning, like everything is on fire and I'm just there between the walls of the entrance and the palace, the heat feels so real like it's burning me even if I'm a far from it, there's people running everywhere, trying to save their lives and I'm just there watching, not knowing what to do"

She stopped and look down at our hands. She hold my hand with the good one, probably thinking what to say next.

"There's also a man there" She continued without lifting her head, her voice like a whisper "He doesn't care about what is happening, he doesn't mind the screaming, the fire, anything, he is focused in me" The grip with her hand became stronger and I just responded the same way, letting her know I was listening, that I cared about what she was feeling and what was happening in those dreams "He knows who I am, each time he calls me by my name, he is expecting something from me I still don't know what it is, he treat me like a thief, he thinks I stole something very important from him and wants to know where it is and each time he is treaten me, it's way to real" Her hands began to shake and I had the feeling that it would be enough for that night.

"You don't need to tell me more" I started "I can't imagi-"

"You are not understanding!" She cut me with her voice was also shaking but it was firm "It's not just a nightmare, it's not in my mind! It's real!" She lift up her head and she looked frustrated, her brown eyes starting to get blurry from the tears "I had that dream tonight, he was aware of what happened tonight Hitsugaya!" She shouted and I couldn't stop my surprise from what she was saying "H-he hold me that what happened tonight it w-was nothing! That when I less expected h-he would kill e-everybody in his way and k-kill me! He say that! ' _I found you and I'll kill you, Richards Akari'_ He say it! And he… And he could kill you H-Hitsugaya, just because you are protecting me, he could… Why?!" She started crying and sobbing, not handling the idea anymore. I hold her and put her closer to my chest. She was trembling again and only her sobbing were echoing in the room while my mind was thinking about the situation.

It was even possible? A man capable to enter in your mind while getting actions in reality? Someone capable to orchestrate that seemed way to powerful and there was no more clues than her dreams. He was the same who control the human hours before? Or there a group and he was the leader? Who were they, what would they want with Richards? And again, why her?

The situation has gotten way worse that I had expected and still couldn't figure it out what we were against.

* * *

Early Sunday update! :D

How are you doing? Do you like this chapter? I love writing this few last chapters, it was something that I always had on my mind when I started with this story, I hope you like it!

I have one more chapter already written and then I'll update as soon as I write, let's see how it goes, I hope it goes well, but well

That's it, I hope you like it! If you could write reviews I would really love it to learn and improve :D

See you next week!


	13. Not a Valentine

Akari's POV:

"…the letter from Tokyo University haven't reach me yet and that's scaring me, I should give up, I'm sure I didn't get in" Kazui said with a sad face while taking a bite from his onigiri.

"Please Kazui, you are one of the best 10 in our promotion, you are in, if not talk to Ishida-san for help" I shrugged with my mouth full of rice.

"I'm not going to talk to Ishida-san just for that!" He exclaimed offended, only making me laugh.

We were eating lunch at the park close to our works, talking about trivial things like normal teenagers, worrying about our futures. The low temperatures were still heavy, so the park was quite lonely. Perfect for me that I was sitting on the backrest of the bench with my bento box at my legs. Kazui was sitting like a normal person, so he had to look up to me, for a change.

"How are you holding up?" Aaaand that's how the normal topic went to a cliff.

I didn't answered immediately, focus only in my food for a second and looking at my now less wounded right hand. But I could feel his amber orbs were staring at me with worry.

A week a half had passed since the attack. A week and a half went off since I told Toushiro everything.

I still had a strange feeling for telling him. I was glad, that's for sure. Glad to tell someone and didn't react as I was a freak. That he actually believe me. Maybe because I was a completely wreck after I finished telling him and he just wanted to comfort me or he just actually took serious what I had told him. But someting was off, I mean, how he was so calm about it? Anybody would freak out about that, but he didn't. How?

"I'm getting better" I said while taking off my glove in my right hand. Showing the superficial bandage around the wound "I really thought that it was worse when I got it and wouldn't manage to use it for a time but well, Hitsu-kun should be studying to be a doctor" The pair of bad things were my ankle, so I had to use one crutch so I wouldn't support completely that foot, and the bruise at my side close to my ribs, but nothing broken, that's for sure.

Kazui at that started coughing and sounded like he was chocking with his food. His reflect went to drink some of his soda in big gulps and in a moment was all right again.

"What the fuck was that?!" I asked looking at him scared.

"Food… Wrong way" He managed to say after sighing for breathing normally "And I can't imagine Toushiro being a doctor"

"Yeah me neither, too grumpy for it, would scared the patients away" I joked about it and Kazui laugh about it too.

"Don't change the subject, Akari" He said getting back to the trail. Damn it. Almost. I sighed before answering.

"I'm there Kazui, nightmares and shit, but keep walking, you know" It was the only thing I could say. Because I still really didn't know how to feel.

"The incident is following you around that much? Sorry Akari" He said really apologetic, like it was his fault everything. This kid had a protector complex like his father.

"You don't have to be sorry about anything" I responded, going back to eating.

He still thought that the attack was the thing giving me nightmares. Of course, I hadn't told him everything yet.

' _It's not my part to say anything to anyone, but you should really tell Kurosaki about your dreams, soon'_ Toushiro told me the next morning before going to their house. But still haven't found the strength to tell him. I would break the same way I did with Toushiro and my pride wouldn't handle that wreck again, thank you very much.

"How's been your project going?" Kazui change the subject, probably because he was feeling guilty about everything and didn't want me to scold him. I let it slide for now, I had no reason to fight him.

"It's been going well, but I had to stop it for other clients' petitions and for this!" With extreme care of not throwing the bento box away, I looked for my cellphone in my backpack that now had a beautiful broken screen and started to look for a picture "Toushiro is not leaving me taking him anywhere after saving my freaking life, so I decided to do something simple for him as he said that he liked my work" I said passing the different photos in my gallery "Ah! Here it is!" I showed the photo to Kazui and he looked astonished with it, so he took the phone to look better.

"Akari this is amazing! He'll probably be happy about it! Even if he will not want to accept it" I noticed how he zoomed the picture to notice the details. I only keep eating content that he liked my work.

"There's a few little details that I'll finish today, so tomorrow, even if he want it or not, I can give it to him" I could only wonder about how Toushiro would react, but I hope he appreciate the gesture. God, I sure was blushing with that idea in my head just now.

"Tomorrow?" I heard him asking and chuckling about it.

"Yeah, tomorrow" I wasn't really paying attention to him, I just wanted to give the present to Toushiro.

"Are you aware that tomorrow is Valentine's Day?"

Everything stopped for a second. Maybe not a second, stopped like for way to long. I looked at him completely alarmed.

"Tomorrow is NOT Valentine's day!" I almost shouted at him. There's NO WAY that it was Valentine's Day!

"It is tomorrow! February 14th!" He exclaimed, failing of holding his laugh.

"Bullshit!" It can't be, it can't be, it can't be!

"Here!" With my phone, he looked at the calendar and show me the date from today, February 13th I took the phone and looked at the calendar really surprised. I was so fucked up. "Well, looks like you are going to confess to Toushiro"

I looked at him feeling embarrassed and wanted to kill him and his little smile he had in that moment.

"That's not…! I mean…!" The words feeling felt accumulating in my lips but nothing coherent leaving out. I wasn't confessing to Toushiro! This wasn't happening. And I had to finish today because I promised Oshiro-sensei that tomorrow will continue with the katana and I always give things the next moment I finished working on them so I wouldn't forget and now was a thing of me. I wouldn't forget the present tomorrow, it's not in me. Why I had to be responsible?! Oh God! How would I explained that it wasn't a valentine present?! God I had a crush on him but I didn't want to, I mean I would like to but OH FOR GODS SAKE!

Kazui laugh wasn't helping at the minimum, I let my body slide and sit in the bench not knowing how to react at anything, hiding my face with my hand. Oh God tomorrow was going to be embarrassing.

The next day came. Kazui was still laughing at me knowing that I, indeed, did not forget the stupid present. My backpack felt heavy even if the thing was little and light, but I had an idea, put the gift in the locker without nobody's seeing it and I'm free until the day after tomorrow. But still the rest of the week after this stupid date was about this-stupid-date. So I was fucked up either way.

But I had managed to put Kazui's nervous about girls giving him chocolates today, because he always received chocolates and he went in a total crisis for refusing girls, however went even worse and shut up about me, when I mentioned that maybe Ichika would give him something. It was my turn to laugh, point for me!

We reached school early, students just arriving and everything was themed with the festivity. Oh hell, it was going to be a long day.

"I already hate this day" I muttered and it was just beginning.

"I can't say that I'm excited either" Kazui responded. Well, at least we were in the same side. Somehow.

I went to my locker to leave the present and forget about it. Because even the package was wrapped in themes that remind me of Toushiro, pale blue with snowflakes. For God's sake, it was a great idea in my head when I thought about it.

Stupid day with stupid festivity.

With the crutch I moved towards there. The other students talking and starting the exchange of gifts, the smell of chocolate everywhere was so strong almost captivating, now I wanted chocolate too, great. I opened my locker and took out the shoes for the school, making space to hid the present in the back, change my shoes and now just get out the thing and I was ready.

"AKARI" I yelped and almost fell with the impression of Ichika's arrival "Hey! What you got there?" She asked getting close to see my backpack.

"Nothing! Nothing, why you think that I have something?" I sat down in the bench putting the crutch over my backpack so she wouldn't open it.

"Are you sure it's nothing? ~" That little devil was smirking with curiosity. I looked at her between alarmed and 'don't you dare'

"It's. Nothing" I replied.

"What's nothing? ~" I squealed when Rangiku got united to the conversation. Oh hell, I wasn't going to survive that day.

"Akari's have something in her backpack" She said to Rangiku with a devilish smile "And you know, it's Valentine's Day" The smile that grown in Rangiku's lips terrified me.

"Oh really~ Are they chocolates? For someone?~" She continued asking and I only denied with my head. This devils.

"Maybe she did something!" Ichika continued the teasing and I felt my head changing of shades of red.

"Can we see it?~" They both said at the same time and I felt cornered. Until the bell rang to start class.

"Look at that! We had to hurry up! Ok! Let's go!" I mumble fast and as fast as I said it, as fast I was closing my locker, taking my backpack and the crutch and rushing upstairs.

I was able to reach the third floor and leave the girls behind, before my left foot started to hurt because of the support and my ribs for breathing too fast. I supported myself to the crutch and my back to a wall before going to class. The people move around me, but nobody really payed attention. I looked down to my backpack and opened a little to see the wrap of the present there. Great, know I have the present with me and Rangiku and Ichika were curious about it. I pinched the bridge of my nose to the thought.

"Morning Richards" Another squeal came out of my lips with now the appearance of Toushiro, he was focused on his phone, so that gave chance to close the backpack again but he put attention to me to my nervous state "Are you all right?"

"Yeah, yeah" I repeated even if my face was still red, because I was sure that was still red "Just everybody seems to want to give me a heart attack or I'm just too distracted"

"I'll go for the second" He said amused and I could only look at him with my murderous stare "Come on, before the teacher arrives"

I sighed while nodding and both starting walking to the classroom

"Do you expect something from today?" I asked

"For Valentine's?" He asked and I nodded "Not really and I hope I don't get anything" He sounded slightly annoyed about the idea.

"Let's see how it goes" I smiled a little trying to calm down.

The murmur when we entered the classroom only increased. The teacher hadn't arrive yet so everybody was talking and putting chocolates over the desks.

"Of course, I'm going to be the one to receive more chocolates this year" I could heard Oshiro almost shouting the sentence, with a few 'Oshiro-senpai' from his fans supporting his idea.

"Kill him" I said low only to Toushiro to hear and he chuckle about it.

When we got close to our seats, our group was covering our sigh of it, exclaiming things I didn't manage to hear. I notice that in Kazui's desk there were a few chocolates and in front of him, Oshiro's desk was full of them.

"Do you leave me some Akari-chan~" Oshiro said when he reached his seat. I felt one eye twitching at the idea.

"Believe me, of there was something from me, you will be dead, Oshiro" I said annoyed at him.

"So mean Akari-chan~" He faked feeling hurt "Well, anyway looks like I even beat Kurosaki this year, you don't have to feel bad Hitsugaya-san, every year it's like that" I rolled my eyes, not standing his voice of triumph anymore.

"Oh Hitsugaya-san you arrive, I had to say you are quite popular in here" Yumichika was the first to notice us, flipping his dark hair "I was going to be mad that I didn't receive as many, however I'm glad that is you that have this many gift instead of any other students"

"What are you tal-" Toushiro started asking and then his body tensed, I moved at his side to see what leaved him like that only to surprised me to find his desk full of valentines gift: chocolates, letters and even a few teddy bears.

"Captain it's like our home! Always so popular with the girls!" Rangiku said hugging a really, terribly embarrassed and annoyed Toushiro.

"Get off me Matsumoto! Tch!" He got apart from her and keep staring at the desk, frowning and pitching the bridge of his nose.

Also mad but from a totally different reason, I looked behind me to notice Oshiro and his "fans" staring angrily at the desk, compared to Toushiro's, his was nothing. It was like a record. Even if he had that many chocolates I understood why Toushiro was annoyed, that many gifts were a symbol of confession and he had to deal with them. Yeah, I wouldn't give him my present today. Hell no.

The teacher that moment arrived and we all went to our seats. It was normal for the teachers to make some jokes that day, and today wasn't an exception, poor Toushiro was the principal target thanks to the gifts, I thought that he couldn't get any more red with everything. Rangiku in front of me only giggle about it, she liked it to watch him suffer surely.

Between the first class and the second he started sharing the chocolates that were anonymous. Better for him, it was the most of the pile and our group was a large one, so now everybody had one or two chocolates. Yumichika and Ikkaku also had a few more on their own, but Rangiku was the one who got most thanks of the closeness to Toushiro's desk.

The third class that was when I started to feel my eyelids heavy. Since the attack my hours of sleep had decreased, more because I was trying a lot of stuff to have a dreamless sleep and don't see that madman again, but it was hard. So now trying to stay awake in class was more difficult.

Something touching me at my side make me jump alert in my seat, making me pay attention back to the class, then a little piece of paper in my desk.

' _Stay awake'_ was the only thing written, but I could recognized the handwriting for all the hours I had be practicing with him. I looked sideways only find Toushiro paying attention to the class, but a little smirk showing in his lips confirmed my theory.

It had been a regular movement, he would try to keep me awoke for the classes and if we were studying that day, he would let me nap an hour so I could recharge. That was actually the only way I could sleep without problem. Sleeping close to him.

That didn't help with my feelings for him at all. It started after my break when sharing my dreams with him, I cried 'til sleep, exhausted about everything and actually sleep soundly until almost ten, feeling better and rested. It was a first. What also surprised me was how close I was to him and how he was covering me in his arms. That feeling of security was so relaxing and felt so right at the moment, that for a second everything was forgotten. Everything peaceful, there was certain cold feeling around us that was reassuring, it felt better that the heat I had been waking up to, it was nice, until Rangiku opened the door to wake up us both and started the teasing.

Noticing that I actually rested that night, even after everything that happened, we tested on Monday before our study section if I could nap close to him and actually rest. Surprisingly it worked, it was a dreamless sleep and I was up to everything the rest of the day. The next Wednesday we tried again and it worked, again. It was a strange but reassuring feeling.

"Akari-chan!" I jumped when someone called my name, only to find Rangiku's face close to me, I went back to make distance between us "You fell asleep again!"

There was no need to curse again about it, I just sighed. We were in the last change of class before lunch break. I looked around seeing that Toushiro's wasn't in his seat.

"Where's Hitsugaya-kun?" I asked Rangiku, rubbing my eyelids trying to awake.

"Some girl borrowed him, I think she was going to confess, poor thing" She said while eating one of the chocolates "I hope she doesn't get the cold response"

"I don't wanna know what's that" I stood up taking the crutch, I need it to wake up.

"You don't, where are you going?" She asked looking at me curiously.

"Going to the bathroom, refresh my face" I said while walking away. At this hour, there was like 5 minutes between each class so I had chance to go in my normal, with the crutch, pace.

The cold water in my face really helped me. It refreshed my eyes and woke me up immediately. I looked at my reflection seeing my recent poor state, everybody could notice that something was wrong with me, I hated how obvious it could be shown in my face. But there was nothing else to do. I sighed before taking a little more of water to my face, at that someone got inside throwing the door of the hallway and hear a heavy weeping. I looked at the direction only to find one of my classmates, however from Miko's group Gilly if I wasn't wrong, staring at me angrily while her eyes were puffy with the tears.

"Hey are you all-?" I started only to be cut with her response.

"Don't you start! It's all your fault!" She pointed a finger at me, her high pitched voice cracking a little while speaking. I dried the water from my face before looking at her confused.

"Woah! I know that our groups don't mix, but I had nothing to do with whatever you think" Why was she so angry?

"Of course you have! If it wasn't for you Hitsugaya-san would say yes!" She continued shouting and I only got shocked.

"Sure thing" My sarcastic tone was obvious "For your information, I don't have anything with him, so…" I shrugged and took the crutch ready to leave.

"Sure thing!" She mocked my tone of voice and keep shouting at me "I don't know what he sees in you, you are nothing but a freak! What did you get in his pants or something?"

"Woah" I couldn't help but to be quite shocked about the statement "Freak and easy in just one sentence, looks like a new level, did Miko teach you those things?" I didn't hold back the response.

"No" She didn't have a second doubt "Oshiro-kun told us how you were with him, probably was the same with Hitsugaya-san, using your mouth and stuff" She spited and I felt tense and angry, really angry.

I got really close to her, using my height as advantage and each step I made she looked even tinier, even if I felt clumsy with the crutch.

"Let's be clear" My voice sounded so harsh "whatever the fuck Oshiro's says we did, is fucking bullshit, second go on and tell Hitsugaya the same fucking thing you said to me, let's see how he answer about that and third if you think that's disgusting why would you date someone who you say it accept it so easily" With every comment she started to cry more terrified, I distance myself from her to go to the door "If you want to insult me next time, woman up and accept the consequences of it"

At the hallway I could heard the loud cry she made from it. God, how I hated to look like a bully, but it was a new level of bullshit that I couldn't stand. I walked to the classroom from the back door and sit in my spot, noticing that I wasn't the only one angry. Toushiro at my side was with a really dark aura, crossing his arms and muttering things, not even Rangiku seemed to dare to talk to him.

It was only midday and I was so fucking done with everything. Probably Toushiro too. The teacher for the class arrived and people went back to focused partially in it. Partially because the girl I screamed appeared later and looked so sad but angry at the same time, I lost interest in her when just thinking of how hungry I was. Lunch break was next and the only thing separating me from my meal was Toushiro's gift, hide it in my locker and forget about it and then eat.

Lunch break finally arrived and I was already standing up with my backpack, heading to the doors.

"Aren't you waiting for us?" Kazui exclaimed while seeing I was leaving.

"I forgot my lunch, again" I just replied but I guessed that he got the hint of hiding the gift, so he didn't comment anything else.

"Want me to look it for you? You shouldn't walk that much" Instead Toshiro asked and I only denied with my head, but didn't turn back to see him because I knew my face was completely red.

"I know, but I'm fine! Thank you but no, I'll see you at the roof" With that I headed to the doors and leaved before anyone else tried to stop me or join me.

In the way I started eating some of the chocolates from Toushiro, trying to calm down my hunger. It was a fact that walking too much was making my foot hurt again, also my ribs for the bad position of walking, but yeah I couldn't let my backpack that freely around there.

The lockers weren't alone as I expected, but everybody seemed to mind their own business, so I just continued to walking towards mine seeing that nobody's was paying attention.

"Hey, Akari-chan, what's up?" The high pitched "friendly" voice from Miko actually surprised me. She was comfortable resting with her back at my locker, blocking the access completely.

"You're in the way" I said, annoyed.

"My baaad~ You seem quite jumpy today, hiding something?~" The fake friendly tone and her attitude was making cringe.

"It's none of your fucking business" I said with a fake smile, supporting myself more in the crutch because my foot was hurting maybe a little too much "Now, if you let me pass, I want my lunch"

"Really?~" She didn't seem bothered at all, I don't like how is going "Your stuff looks heavy, are you sure you don't have lunch there?"

I was going to protest and if it was necessary move her out of the way, but without me knowing it, somebody grabbed my backpack off me almost making me fall back if it weren't for my support to the crutch, it didn't last long. Another person pull from it, taking it and with just a push I was at hitting the floor in my sore side. Shutting my eyes, I hold the moan of pain from leaving my lips, only gritting my teeth. What was with everybody against me lately? For fuck's sake.

"Hey what's this?" I heard Miko's voice quite happy, but sincere terrifying happiness for me, I opened my eyes to look at her checking inside my backpack and getting out the package with wrapped snowflakes theme. I gulped at her look of finding the best trick.

"Give that back b-!" I was ready to stand up and jump at her, but I was cut with somebody putting all its body over me. Making hit again the floor. I opened my eyes to stare at grey eyes looking amused. I frowned and almost growled at him "Get the fuck off me Oshiro!"

"There's no need to be so mad, Akari-chan! Doesn't bring back memories?" He was awfully close my face and was with his stupid smile of smug he had. He was holding my hands at each side of my face and all his weight was keeping down. I tried to move off him, but I couldn't. Since when he was this strong?!

"No it doesn't! Get the fuck off!" I shouted, hell I was angry. I noticed that there was a small group of students watching, most were Miko's group.

"Ikaru-kun it's so strong!" I heard Miko's steps close to me and then she knelt down next to me, with the gift in her hands "So Akari, what do we have here? Gilly told me that Hitsugaya-san dumped her because of you, but you said that you two are nothing! This doesn't look like nothing!" She was moving the package of 15 centimeters around her hands inspecting it with great curiosity "I mean it's obvious that it's for him, the wrap says it completely"

"And why the fuck do you care?" I spited out to her. She was getting on my nerves, the same way Oshiro with him not getting off me! "Oshiro, I warn you if you don't get off-!"

"Shut the fuck up, Richards!" Miko said while hitting me at my sore side. I couldn't hold back the groan, it hurt a lot "How annoying freak you are!" Her voice was angry too "Why do I care? Gilly was dump, because of you! Because looks like your little freak show attracts the good men, first Ikaru-kun, now Hitsugaya-san! But what will you do when he notices the real mutant you are! With your little crush on him, he probably will leave you when he founds out"

"Boo-hoo!" I replied with a sarcastic tone "If she can't handle rejection is not my fucking fault, why she thinks Hitsugaya has something for me?! Come on!" My tone was harsh and Oshiro was struggling to pin me down now "Yes I'm a freak so what?! I'm not the one getting other people life's miserable! Like the fucking curse you are!"

"A curse? Me? You are the curse" She didn't seem angry anymore, she was enjoying this way too much for my liking "With your ghosts and freak state, you probably did something to Hitsugaya-san to like you" I wanted to shout something about how ridiculous she sounded, but she started breaking the wrap of the gift showing the box "Now, let's see what's inside" She opened the box and then took out the sculpture, she looked surprise and everybody around us too.

The idea of an ice dragon stuck in my head after the red woman said it. Toushiro after the attack did remind me of a dragon, a monster intimidating when he wanted to be, but interesting and captivating, a great guardian. That's what I did. It was made with glass, a fifteen centimeter Chinese dragon in spiral, with his wings opening protecting something, I spent a lot of time doing all the details and its eyes were made with jade to resemble Toushiro's eyes. It was small, but it was a complicated work that I focused in doing all this week and a half, because it was what I wanted to do, making a present to Toushiro. Well now everybody knew what was the gift, in Valentine's Day and to whom it was planned for. I stopped struggling to get Oshiro off, giving up at the idea. That didn't mean that I was less angry about it.

The terrible laugh coming from Miko made me tense up back again, looking at her like she went crazy.

"You did a detailed dragon for him and said that you both don't have something?!" She shouted still laughing, was moving around the sculpture her eyes taking all the details "I mean what kind of excuse you were going to give?"

I didn't answer. Feeling every inch in my face turn red for the embarrassment, they didn't know about the attack, if people asked I said that it was an accident and that's it. But even then, at the moment it sounded quite of…off? Fuck, she was getting in my head.

"She's talking to you, you know?" Oshiro said way too close to me, still amused.

"Don't worry Ikaru-kun, now we know that she has an obsession with Hitsugaya-san" Miko continued, her smirk was devilish and give me creeps "But I know something we can do with this" She stood up and raised a little the sculpture in her hand. Then she just let it slide off.

I shut down my eyes for the closeness, while the clashing sound echoed in the room and stunned my ears.

When I opened back my eyes I notice all the broken pieces around, nothing was saved.

"Well, that was fun" Suddenly Miko's voice sounded far even if she was beside me "Let's go Ikaru-kun"

"Yeah" I felt his grip off me, but I was kind of numb processing what was happening "Bye bye, Akari-chan" He said and before he stood up, he passed a hand trying a caress in my face "You look so much better this way"

That was it.

With a flash movement I took his wrist with one hand, with the other I went back his elbow make the movement for breaking it, before I could actually do it, he moved trying to get off that only permitted me to raise a now free knee directly to his face. He shouted in pain and with a push I let him roll of me, holding now his broken nose.

I finally stood up making a general gasp around me from the other students, Miko was now watching me paralyzed in her spot. I could only imagine what kind of face I was making, but she looked terrified. Without a second passing, I walked towards her, raising my fist ready to its target, somebody took it and make me turn around, only to find a bloody Oshiro, which was hitting me again at my sore side. It hit me, but this time I didn't care for the pain. Hell, I even didn't care if I had a broken rib by now. My rage was blinding me completely. I was done with being the victim.

I kick him in the center of his stomach, making him fall hard on the floor, were the glass was.

"Are you happy?! This is what you wanted?!" I shouted at him and everyone in the room. Looking at their nervous state, some of the initial spectators weren't there anymore "You wanted me as a freak?! Here I am! Did you forget this freak knows how to fight?!" I looked directly at Miko that was now terrified and ready to escape. I throw myself at her before she could do it, she screamed for help but nobody moved an inch from its place. I turned her around looking at she shocked state "Hey princess, why are you so scared? I thought this is what you wanted!" My voice was harsh and sharp

I wasn't really aware of my surroundings, so I was taking by surprise when I felt somebody pulling on my hair, making me shout and getting me of Miko.

"You are an aggressive freak bitch!" It was Oshiro's voice. I tried to find his hands to get him off, the pull was hurting my head a lot.

The grip didn't last long, before he could tried to him me again. His release was off and I looked back to see what was happening. Toushiro was there, holding one of Oshiro's arms behind his back and his free arm around his neck, holding completely still even is Oshiro tried to get him off. I went back my attention to Miko that was standing back now with a group of students around her, I got back up too.

"D-do you see Hitsugaya-san! She tried to attack me! That freaking bitch!" The note of terrified was true, but the drama victim was false and on. "I did nothing-!"

"SHUT UP!" I shouted and while the group "protecting her" give me the space running scared, this time the fist hit her in the face, getting her back on the floor. I was ready to give her another punch, this time somebody grabbed me by my waist lifting me up completely off the floor.

"Enough Akari!" I tensed my body when noticing the really deep voice close to me. When looked at the hold of my punch I notice the big dark hand around it.

"Sado-sensei" I said surprised, when I looked up at him, his normally inexpressive face, showed a very expressive frown of disappointment, behind his curly brown hair. Yasutora Sado was one of the teachers of personal defense, apart of his brown skin tone, his big muscular body, reaching the two meters was something that always make him obvious. Now that he was lifting me up, I was a good twenty centimeters off the floor.

"What the hell is going on here?!" This time I gulped and all my anger instantly left my body, looking back to Miko, at her side was visible the short black hair from the karate teacher, my sensei, Arisawa Tatsuki and she wasn't pleased at all. Even if she didn't look like a terrible treat with her 1,55 centimeters of height, her authoritarian tone, bulky body, deep frown and short temper was someone you didn't want to mess with.

"Sensei…!"

"Yasutora-sensei! Arisawa-sensei! She-she attack me! L-look!" Miko showed her now swollen cheek that had turned in a quite dark purple color.

"That's not all what happened, sensei!" I shouted

"She started all, Arisawa-sensei!" Miko continued

"You had Oshiro pin me down on the floor!" I shouted back while she was making excuses.

"Me?!" Oshiro voice sounded behind quite off, looking at him was still from the hold from Toushiro "You attack me like a maniac! She started all, Arisawa-sensei!"

"Shut up all of you!" We all close our mouths and stayed still. Now that I was 'calm down' I noticed that all of the students that were enjoying the show were gone, the only staying students Miko, Oshiro, Toushiro and me. Beside Tatsuki-sensei, was Kazui, Emiko and Hana, I was surprised of not seeing the rest of the group "Hitsugaya, release Oshiro at this instant, Abe get up, Richards if Sado release you will keep calm"

It wasn't a question. It was an order and I just nodded. At the same time, Toushiro released Oshiro even if the deep frown in his face noticed that he didn't wanted to, Miko got up and Sado-san put me back down.

"You all look like a mess" If Tatsuki-sensei didn't mention it I wouldn't notice the sudden itchy places in my face, probably cuts, or the different of glass passing through my blazer and red spots of blood on it, or how my foot hurt terribly and did my best to support myself on my right side, or my ribs were like a crying of pain. Miko only had her swollen cheek and messy hair. Oshiro on the other hand, was holding with a hand his broken nose, also with a few glass pieces in his body but mostly blood all over him. Toushiro was just mess up with Oshiro's blood, but nothing hurt.

"What happened?" This time Sado-sensei, said behind me. We three were ready to start shouting again, but Tatsuki-sensei stopped with a clap with her hands.

"Sado asked what happened and I want a civilized answer" She stared at us with a frown at all of us "Hitsugaya, what happened?"

"I can't really say, when I got here, Oshiro was pulling Richards hair and I just get him off her" His voice sounded colder than usual. And sharp. "The glass was already on the floor"

"Oh right" Tatsuki-sensei replied.

"Do you believe him, Arisawa-sensei?!" Miko responded alarmed. Just a moment ago she was trying to make me look bad in front of Toushiro, now was against him. Great façade, didn't last.

"For the actual look he has, that he isn't wounded, yes, I do believe him, Abe" Tatsuki-sensei send her a sharp look "Now, why there's glass on the floor? You can answer that Abe"

Miko suddenly went in a total state of shock, probably didn't found the perfect excuse yet and didn't know what to reply. I did my best of not smirk about it. A few minutes passed and finally replied.

"Akari broke a gift I bought! It was meant for Hitsugaya-san but she broke it out of jealously, because she wants him all for herself!" She put the best drama queen façade, I felt sudden embarrassment and anger back.

"That's not true!" "She is lying!" Kazui and I said at the same time. Instead of looking at me, Tatsuki-sensei looked at Kazui, which was really looking like his father at this moment with the deep frown in his face.

"Weren't you looking for me, Kazui? How you know she is lying?"

Kazui sighed before he answered.

"Because I know that Akari-chan made the present and was with it all morning, she went back to the lockers to keep it safe" His voice was more neutral that mine would have ever let out.

"It's it true, Richards?" Tatsuki-sensei was now looking at me and I nodded "Do you have any proof?"

"Proof?" I repeated.

"Proof that it was yours, because this play of he said she said it's not working" She continued and I felt my heart sink. I didn't have any proof, I did the best to hide it from everybody and nobody could really prove it. Miko's purse was on the floor as well as my backpack. So it was really a hard work of she said he said.

"I have a picture when she was making it and on of yesterday with the package" Kazui continued without second doubt, looking in his phone probably the picture I send him. God bless him and have him as my best friend, I felt so relieved.

When he found it, Kazui showed the phone to Tatsuki-sensei which took it and look at it.

"Snowflake wrap, check" She looked at the phone and then at the broken pieces of paper "Box check, dragon glass probably that was it…" She walked to the shattered glass and took the surviving pieces of jade, which were so small that didn't broke in a smaller piece "with jade eyes" She showed the stone and turned around the phone so we all could see the picture "What do you think, Sado?"

"Mystery solved" He just said and all the weight I had in my shoulders was lifted it.

"Ok let me guess everything" Tatsuki-sensei continued with now a smirk in her face "For whatever reason you two" Pointed at Miko and Oshiro, they both looked terrified "Decided to pick up on Richards, who I prohibit to train because she was injured on her feet and ribs and need to use a crutch, that there it is!" She exclaimed taking it "You look up in her stuff and found the box, for some reason she couldn't defend herself even if she is one of my best students, probably Oshiro you have something to do with that and the her wounds too" When mentioning his name, he looked even more pale "Any of you decided to broke the gift and I imagine that that's when Richards started her defense" I nodded when mentioning my name "I should be detective with this great skills I have" She mentioned more to herself.

"But-but Arisawa-sensei…!" Miko started to try to reply.

"Richards shouldn't have reacted that aggressively yes, but Abe, you are no saint in this, so you two are coming with me to the nursery and then we will talk to the Principal, because you caused such a big mess!" She hold them both in the back of their shirt, with a terrifying smile "Richards, get to eat, that you probably haven't eat anything, to the nurse and then after class you'll clean your classroom alone"

"Eh?!" I shouted, staring at her with surprise.

"You help with the mess, you clean something, it only fair, any objection?" She continued with the creepy smile and I shake my head.

"No, sensei!" I shouted back bowing at her.

"Good, the rest of you, clean this mess too and go to class after, Sado, make sure that they all have ate, all right?"

Sado-sensei just nodded at her and she continued walking with Oshiro and Miko, they looked terribly defeated.

I didn't felt exactly victorious, staring at the broken glass on the floor I let out a sigh. All my hard work for nothing. This train of bad luck was hitting me hard.

We started cleaning the place first, making sure all the glass pieces were together to throw it away. In that time I evaded the gaze from Toushiro, or evaded at him completely. My embarrassment was extreme and I couldn't explain nothing to anyone, especially him. In that went the cleaning, eating and even when I went to the nursery, I asked for Sado-sensei to join me with the excuse that they didn't have to get late to class. Also, he wouldn't ask me anything because he wasn't the talkative type, something better for me as I need it to get in order my thoughts.

At the nursery it was mostly making sure that nothing was broken, be covered in bandages and band-aids and checking that there was no dangerous wound. Sado-sensei did recommended me to see Ichigo-san after class and I could just simply agree with him.

With all that process, the classes were going to finish soon so I decided to stay in the nursery and really try to calm down, Sado-sensei went to his class without saying anything else and the nurse leave me be. I really appreciate being alone at the moment, because all my emotions were mixed and uncontrollable.

The bell ringed to mark the end of the classes, everybody went to their clubs and a few to their homes. Kazui, Hana and Emiko appeared in the nursery to check on me, but neither really asked what happened and I really appreciated, I imagine that they had all figured it out by now anyway, but their company was somehow welcome.

They left to their respective clubs and I went upstairs with the crutch, my stepping worse than before, for my task of cleaning the classroom, my friends assure me that it wasn't that terribly bad, so I should finish soon and without any more problems.

Now in the classroom I could heard the murmur from other students around, it was a soft sound of laughs and conversations. I sighed and focused in my task. The desks were in their places so it was most clean over them, the sweep and watering the plants, it should be a quick work. And as I thought, in less than an hour I was ready, could have it done before if it wasn't for the pain, I really need to check on Ichigo-san, again.

Seating over one of the front desks I looked outside through the window. Even if we were still in winter, the day was really bright and the sun give up a little warm in that cold day. I relaxed a little with the heat, kind of forgetting a little about the day.

"Hey" I heard from the back of the room, when I turned to see I was surprised to find Toushiro resting over the slide door. I went back my attention to the outside to hide my embarrassment, of every person that could stay. It had to be him "Can I come in?"

I really, really didn't want to talk to him, because I knew exactly what he wanted to do. But he was concerned, I shouldn't avoid him. Sooner or later he was going ask anyway.

"You'll have to clean any mess you make" I answered still without looking at him "I'm done cleaning for today"

He let out a light chuckle and then I heard his footsteps getting inside the classroom.

"Sure" He replied, he sounded amused. I felt him standing behind me, probably waiting for me to look at him. But nope, I wasn't going to do it at the moment. He sighed and then the desk beside me make a sound over the weight of probably Toushiro sitting.

"I thought you left" I said. Still focused in the outside and the warm from the sun.

"I thought you need it company" He said simply. Well, he wasn't wrong, but his company was not really handy for me, at the moment.

We stayed like that for a few minutes. Me refusing to look at him and him… He was probably waiting for me to tell, to spit everything out. But hell, I didn't wanted to. It was everything about him. Him. How I was going to say that I got in a stupid fight for a gift for him. It sounded even worse like that.

"Kurosaki has always told us that you were scary while fighting" He broke the silence and I shouted my eyes in response. Not that he could see my action "He wasn't wrong"

"I'm not happy about it either"

"I'm not scolding you"

"Sounds like it" This time I dared to look back at him. He was with his arms crossed, however his posture was relaxed at how he used to be, he looked comfortable over the table and was looking at me serious but not harsh, I mean, his usual look, maybe, there was something different about it tho.

"You were defending yourself and I do understand that you were angry with what they did to you" He mentioned after sighing about it "If it got in my nerves watching Oshiro taking you by your hair…"

"Yeah that's how I really react to treats" It was true, I didn't react properly the other day because it was some paranormal activity shit "And I didn't thank you about it… So other thing I had to thank you" I was quite annoyed by how I felt like a burden to him.

"I couldn't let him get away with that and do nothing like the rest"

"Either way, thank you Hitsugaya"

Again we stayed in silence, I change my attention to my feet that were hanging in the air and my hair, taking the locks around my fingers. I sighed and look for my cellphone, there was no need to hide it anymore.

"I did this to you as a thank you gift for saving my life the other day" I passed the phone to him but didn't met his eyes "I finished yesterday and as a precaution, when I do things like this and it's meant to give it to a friend, I always had the things with me, because at work had happened "accidents" from my coworkers and they smash it, I didn't want to give it to you today, I was trying to hide it, but I had no moment for it and when I finally had the chance, Miko and Oshiro appeared and destroyed"

Still I didn't dare to look at him, but even that didn't make it any less embarrassing, I couldn't face him. I waited for him to make some reaction of rejection, something like a rejection, because it was obvious after all that I did had a crush on him. I didn't wanted to be like this, to have this problem, everything was…!

"Such a shame that it was destroyed" Toushiro's voice broke my trail of thoughts. This time I dare to look at him, he was staring at my phone with a deeper frown but quite saddened look "I told you to not make anything for me… However I wouldn't be mad for this" He look up to me, in his pale skin it was obvious a red color around his cheeks "It was impressive, Richards"

He handed me the phone and I took it still silent, looking at him weirdly for not taking out the real thing.

"You said it yourself, it was a thank you gift for the other day" He continued at my probably confused expression, even if he was looking more embarrassed while talking "Just because of the day, it doesn't have to mean anything more than that, you can still do something else, and it can be simpler"

Did he just give me a chance to really not look it as a Valentine? Did he just reject me? No. He is direct. I just heard his way of rejecting girls and this wasn't it. What the shit he just said?

"Richards, please, it make me more nervous when you don't talk" His cheeks were still red, but staring at me with certain concern.

I chuckled with his reaction. It was a light actually relieved reaction, it help me out to let out a happy laugh. I noticed Toushiro's reaction was a surprised, but he continued and actually follow the laugh. It was for a short moment but it lifted every troubled feeling I had around, he seemed quite relieved too.

"Today was a fucking roller coaster, _mate"_ I said catching back my breath after the laugh.

"It was" He continued. It was nice to actually see him more relaxed than he usually was, even after a shitty day.

"I promised that the next thing I'll do to you will be something simpler if you promise to not to bring this day up anymore, what do you think, Hitsugaya-kun?" I extended my pinky finger to him.

"I like the idea" He extended his and we interlaced them, making the promise.

Finally I could forget this "not" Valentine of hell.

* * *

Update sundaaay! One week later :DUU SORRY

I'm really sorry for not updating the past sunday, I'm close to winter break and I'm full of projects from the university OTL I was going to pick this chapter in two but nah here a super loooooooooong chapter!

Mostly because the next two week I'll probably not update :DU This is the last chapter I have written and well, now I'm going to update as soon as I finish writting, let's see how it goes!

Thanks for everybody following and putting favorite 3

I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I hope to see you soon!


	14. The cat and the hat

Akari's POV:

"Now with the grocery shopping ready, I should be in my grandma's in no time, ugh since Iwayama and Arashi aren't in the workshop is more work, work and work for me and Oshiro-sensei, I didn't advance that much with the sword and I have less than a month to finish it, I need to study for the final tests, there are so many in such a short time, the ghosts recently are so incredible annoying, what the hell did I do to them?! But well I was able to do the medallion to Toushiro tho, I'm glad he like it and didn't say anything about my crush on him, that's better I don't think I can handle say that I like him… Wait… What?! Did I just say that out loud?!" I stopped suddenly my tracks and keep my mouth shut, looking my surroundings is somebody had payed attention my mumbling ramble, but everybody on the street seemed interested in their own business. Great.

Being a teenager sucks. A lot. I since I didn't have my headphones, I couldn't shut out the world.

I continued walking up the hill, wishing to be in the warmer and safe environment in my grandma's. I also continued, thinking, all the tasks I had to do in such short time. The semester was ending in 15 days, I had to make the sword in less than 22 days while doing the normal work in the shop that was on top with only now working Oshiro-sensei and I, because Arashi and Iwayama decided to quit out of nowhere and doing the medallion for Toushiro (A simpler gift, it was still a dragon but it was a medallion for a necklace, little and discrete, it was perfect) was an easy job, but still it was something that took my time. I felt that everything I was doing was falling behind and the exhaustion was killing me.

At that I was able to see a bunch of birds flying away. I sighed.

"Why I wasn't born an animal, like a bird" I continued talking to myself "I wouldn't even worry for the ghosts, like what would they do to me? As an animal? Probably nothing! I wouldn't have a freaking man or spirit or whatever following me!"

"Meow"

"I know right! It would be so much easier! No worries, no study just being an animal, looking for food!"

"Meow"

"Well yeah, the looking for food doesn't sound that great and finding shelter but there's always someone willing to keep a dog or cat or… wait cat?" I looked down at me to find that I wasn't talking completely alone, a black cat with really bright yellow eyes was following me and now staring at me like understanding everything. After a second of doubt, I kneeled in front of the cat with a big smile ready to pet it, if it let me.

"Hello kitty!" Surprisingly the cat let me pet it and seemed incredible friendly. Probably it was from someone around "What are you doing outside in the cold? You would be better in a house, warm" Instead the cat seemed quite happy around me, getting closer to me "Hey, I don't have any fish here" The cat just purr under my hand, looking to get on top of me, probably it was cold. "Ok I let you come with me until your owner looks for you, but you have to keep quiet, Oba-san hates when I bring animals to the house" I said while lifting the cat and he/she? Was looking for a comfortable position in my arms.

When I reached the house, I was surprised to find some quiet murmur from the garden, probably my grandma had a visit, I didn't want to get on it, so I moved quietly, they wouldn't see me from where I was, I could just go to the kitchen, leave the things and then to my room. Quiet and simple. I forgot something.

I had a cat.

And cats tend to be assholes.

This one wasn't the exception.

The cat started meowing like she/he knew I was trying to avoid the situation, I started shushing at him/her when it started to get loud.

"Where's Yoruichi? It wasn't here a moment ago?" I heard my grandma's voice from afar.

"It was!" Responded a rather friendly but male voice I didn't recognize at all, it didn't sound like an old man.

Another long and loud "meow" came from the cat, Yoruichi must be, probably looking from its owner, but didn't seem interested at all in looking for him, it was now stuck at me.

"What's wrong with you?" I said low at Yoruichi while it keep meowing with what it looked like a grin. This cat was fucking me around "I don't want them to find me!" I keep trying to get it out, but its claws were stuck in my clothes "You stupid cat!" I managed to hold the cat in front of me, I seriously thought that was making fun of me.

"Oh Yoruichi-san!~" The damage was done. Steps sounded heavy and closer against the wood I just sighed and let Yoruichi on the floor.

I started putting the food in its place while Yoruichi just keep looking at me.

"Yoruichi-san! You always go away when I'm not looking!" I heard the male voice saying behind me and for my surprise when I turned around, I found a man around the same age of my father and around the same height, holding the cat up in the air with a big smile. His appearance was quite particular too. Long pale blond hair cut up the chin, I couldn't see his eyes under the green and white stipe hat, his attire consisted in a green shirt and pants under a dark haori, I imagine that the wood sandals in the entrance were his because he was barefoot. But was more intriguing was when I finally catch to see his face, he had an eye patch covering his right side. I usually don't judge people with scars or something covering, hell I'm like that, but something about this man seemed quite off.

As if he knew that I was inspecting him, the man looked at me while taking the cat in his arms, he keep smiling but there was something about his look that told me to be careful around him. I didn't know if it was the cold or his look what make me shiver.

"Akari, staring at people is impolite, I didn't raise you like that and I'm sure your father didn't too" My grandma's was now beside the man, looking tinier than she already is.

"Sorry Oba-san" I said a little embarrassed and continued putting the food in the fridge.

"Oh! This is Akari-chan! But you have grown up so much!" The man said with the same gleeful tone. The bag was empty, so now I could watch my grandma with a curious look. She wasn't happy, looked more annoyed? About the situation, I didn't understand where this man met me "Oh! Now I'm impolite, I apologize! My name is Urahara Kisuke, I was friend of your mother"

"What?! From Okaa-san?" I looked again at my grandma more confused. She just sighed.

"Prepare some tea, Alice-san is doing something and we can't keep the visit without food or something to drink" And that's how my grandma leave the room and avoid the conversation.

"Minagawa-san you shouldn't be moving that much, don't you think?" Said the man, Urahara, following her back, taking Yoruichi with him that keep looking at me with a lot of emotion, like it was human.

"Don't tell me what to do, Kisuke!" My grandma replied from afar.

I stood there wondering how my mom knew that character. Seemed like I was going to know soon.

After a few minutes, I was with a more comfortable set of clothes for the house but still completely covered for the cold, taking the tea and sweets to the porch in the garden, where Urahara and my grandma were, I put everything in the table and served how my grandma teach me, some little tradition that I actually learned and liked it. While doing it I felt the look of Urahara that actually make me quite nervous, when I was done, I sit in the middle of them and in short time I had Yoruichi on top of me, getting itself very comfortable in my legs.

"Seems that Yoruichi likes you" The man said taking a sip from his tea.

"I had that effect in animals" I said petting the cat behind its ear, feeling it purring.

"Like Minagawa-san! You resemble a lot like your mother Minagawa-chan" Urahara continued.

"Please call me Akari, Urahara-san, I'll get confused with Oba-san" I said smiling a bit.

"I don't work that way, maybe like Richards-chan?" He said quite apologetic.

"I feel like you are talking to my dad, but it works, I guess" I really hated that about the Japanese culture, I have a name! Why not use it? "You say that I look like Okaa-san?"

"Oh yes, Minagawa-chan was one that attracted animals too and you do look like her, except for the hair" Urahara continued still smiling.

I could remember how my father always said that my mom attracted animals, especially when they starting to date, he said that it was because she was always warm at the touch, I didn't notice that connection until now.

"Akari-chan is like a reflection of her mother" My grandma continued, she always said that "Even in aspects I don't want her to be" I knew that she referred about the spirits things, but of course I couldn't say that out loud.

He nodded, probably to try to comprehend the situation, but didn't say anything.

"Where do you know Okaa-san?" I asked at the man after taking a sip of my tea. It was a question that was eating me a lot.

"Oh! She use to come a lot to my shop! When she was younger" He simply said.

"Shop?" I asked.

"Kisuke's owns a candy shop in the skirts of the town, Kimiko-chan used to go there a lot" My grandma answered, without looking at me or the man. She was strangely quiet for the chat.

"But… When Okaa-san was young you used to live in Shibuya right?" I keep asking, I couldn't see the connection.

"Yeah, but she meet Kisuke when she was in the University, we were back here" She continued.

"Exactly! Oh happy and gleeful Minagawa-chan, always happy to received her in my store" The man said with a big smile.

"I see…" Still everything sounded vague but I didn't say anything else.

"Oh!" Suddenly Urahara got closer to me to inspect something "You still have the sun!"

"I… what?" I got apart from the sudden closeness, looking at him curious.

"The necklace, you still have it!" He make distance between us and pointed at my neck, were I touch the jewel of the sun.

"I-I do, how do you-?" I started to ask.

"How do I know? I give it to you! Well, to your mother, but it was meant to you" He said still gleeful.

"You give this to my mother?" Now I took the sun, more surprised by it. This was the last gift from my mom and he was the one that give it to her? What? He was not just a candy shop owner.

"Oh yes, Minagawa-chan always said that she wanted something especial for you and that you always wear it, I'm glad you keep using it, it has a charm with it"

I didn't know is it was obvious my uneasy feeling, or it was just to Yoruichi, because I felt how the cat started caressing me with its paws and purring. I started to pet her and looked down to see the cat with its bright eyes, looking me quite reassuring.

"I apologize if I'm making uncomfortable, it must be weird for you that a stranger it telling you this things I imagine, Richards-chan?" I looked up shyly to him and he was again with an apologetic smile.

"Sort of…"

"That's because Kisuke never got tact to talk to people and never visits" My grandma talking again, make me remind me that she was there, looking back at her she was sending a murderous look to Urahara's.

"I've been busy, Minagawa-san! The shop is been busy and difficult lately! Especially with charms for spirits and that, you wouldn't believe how many ghost are around there lately!"

I almost spited the tea I had in my mouth. I managed to drink it and just coughed.

"Kisuke, I'm old and experienced I know exactly when you are lying, I have known you long enough" My grandma continued without seemed surprised about the thing that the man talked about ghost?! Or that was the part that he was lying about.

"Now, now, you know I don't lie… I just don't tell the information completely!" Urahara said showing his smile. And without him or me expecting it, my grandma took out her fan from her sleeve.

And hit Urahara in the head, throwing the hat on the floor and scaring the shit out of me. Yoruichi seemed like enjoying the show.

"You don't came to THIS house after almost 15 years and you come to SAY THOSE THINGS?!"

Now I knew why my grandma was so quiet. She was holding the anger. She now seemed mad at him.

And then she asks where I got my temper.

The round of hits with the fan continued for a few minutes, my grandma charging with all her wrath and Urahara… just let the hits pass. They must know each other very well, for her to act like this and my grandma probably felt betrayed that he didn't visited or communicated for that long, because I seriously never saw that man in my life for what I remember.

In their one side fight I look for the hat before it went flying away. When I grab it something in my head say: hey, this does look familiar. Why?

 _"_ _Akari don't take that, is not yours" My father was looking at me with tired eyes, he wasn't smiling like he used to._

 _"_ _But it's a cool hat daddy!" I said in English, I was around five years old, I used to talk only in that language back then._

 _"_ _I don't mind, she can take it while we talk to Minagawa-chan" Another blond man with thick accent responded in English, he was accompanied with a pretty brunette woman._

 _"_ _You see! Urarara don't mind!" I said while putting the big hat in my little head. While Urahara's smiled down at me, before entering to the room where my mom rested in the hospital._

I moved the hat around with my hand, feeling the urge to put it in my head like that memory. But felt embarrassed when I noticed that the fight had stopped and were looking curious at me.

"I used to call you Urarara?" I said returning the hat to him, he smiled gently and for the first time in that evening I could tell that it was a sincere.

"Ah yes, I imagine it was the language barrier, how do you remember?" He asked kindly.

"The hat, I remember the hospital Okaa-san was and that I wanted to keep the hat, you were seeing Okaa-san with a brunette woman" I answered while he was putting his hat.

"Ah! What a great memory you have!" He said "Yes, I visited your mother a few times in the hospital, you were always there!"

"Oh I see, I don't remember that much neither" I had more memories of my mom when she was a ghost than living, is quite bizarre I know "You said that you sell charm for spirits?" I decided to change the conversation, my grandma was back in her spot looking more… relaxed.

"Oh yes! That's why Minagawa-chan used to come to the shop! I understand that your family have a strong sense of noticing spirits!" He said so calmly like talking about the weather "I can sense them too, that's why I decided to do some charms and sell it!"

That make sense… I guess.

"It sounds useful, in some way" I started thinking about if something could help me of what he sell. Yoruichi resting in my legs seemed sleep except for its tail moving softly.

"That's why you are here Kisuke? For selling us things?" My grandma asked abruptly. Ok she didn't like Urahara that much, it was official.

"Before you hit me with your fan again, I'm going to confirm some of it! I do bring some charms but I'll not sell it to you, take it as a gift for not visit all this time" He said while putting a little box that I didn't knew he had in the table "I'll tell you which one is for you and which for your grandma but we can do that later! I actually came to visit wondering what happened to that old katana, were you able to repair it?"

"Why are you interested in that?" My grandma responded before I could react my shock. Did he even knew about the katana?

"I always said that I was able to repair it and sell it! In the end is a broken piece of junk that you shouldn't be worried about!"

"Is not a broken piece of junk!" I shouted before I could stop myself. You don't come to this house to say those things about a fine work of blacksmithing.

"Oh!" Out of nowhere took out a fan and put it to hide his face, only visible the grey eye seemed amused "My fault, I didn't that there was a new owner and that owner like that art"

"I'm restoring it to its original glory" I said, with my head up with pride.

"You are restoring it?" It was a genuine surprise coming from the man.

"She is, Akari-chan has been working in a workshop for what now? Almost three years?" My grandma back me up with a smile and sounding proud. That make me smile.

"You must have a great talent for doing it! I understand that only certain people could repair it" I didn't know what was in his tone as suggesting something, but I didn't understand it and my grandma didn't seemed affected by his words.

"She is really good about it, that reminds me, how are you going with it Akari-chan?" She asked to center the attention back to me. Why the change, I didn't know, there was something off about this reunion that I couldn't make.

"Well! The hilt is almost complete! Working with the gold wasn't that difficult I'm used to to work with it, the yarn was tricky because it didn't follow a normal pattern of the katanas, but it's ready, the medallion is rusty but doesn't need a change, just a cleanup, it will be the last and the blade we are actually waiting for when I finish to continue, we had the form but now is making the resistance and everything and that's continuous work, I'll probably had to stay in Oshiro-sensei house while doing it" I usually kept little updates to her, but for different reasons I wasn't able to do it recently "I hope I can actually finish for my birthday"

"What a hardworking granddaughter you have Minagawa-san!" Urahara said, it was a good compliment I couldn't deny it "I've intrude if I ask for any pictures of how you are going?" He seemed genuinely interested.

"I- Sure, I must have something in my phone" I looked inside the pocket of the sweater the phone with the cracked screen and look if I had a recent picture of the work. When I found the folder with it I put the most recent and pass it to Urahara, as he took it, Yoruichi seemed bored to be in my legs and went to its owner and put itself in his back to watch the cellphone.

"What an impressive work!" Urahara said while passing the pictures, Yoruichi meowed in response, what did it mean? I hope it mean that it was a nice job.

"Thanks!" I replied with my biggest smile. Urahara was a strange man, but it didn't mean that I wouldn't accept compliments from him.

"These kids today have more talent than us, don't you think that Minagawa-san?" He said joking at my grandma's that only mumble something before drink the tea that I couldn't heard, then pass me my phone. "I think you will able to make it before your birthday, Richards-chan"

There was a sudden "beep" sound that came from him. He took out an old flip phone and look whatever message he had received.

"Oh my! Well ladies, I think my visit is a short one" He said standing up "I'm need it in my shop"

"How unfortunate" My grandma said putting her sarcastic voice.

"I know right?" He did notice the tone, but just followed the game "If you excuse me, goodbye Minagawa-san" He bowed a little and I stand up to say goodbye, noticing that my grandma wasn't going to do it.

We walked side by side without saying anything.

"Oh, Urahara-san" I said remembering when we were in the entrance and he put his sandals, he looked at me curious "What about the charms? You didn't say which one was for which"

"Don't worry, it has your names in it, just be sure that Minagawa-san doesn't throw it away" He said now carrying Yoruichi with him.

"I will, thank you for visiting us and I hope we can see you soon" I bowed as a farewell.

"I'm sure we will see each other soon, if not, my shop is always open for you Richards-chan" He move his hat like a bow and then went through the door with serious smile.

I was quite scared about how certain was going to be that I was going to see him soon.

* * *

It's a Christmas miracle! :D Hi everybody!

I like to say that I'm inspired and I should be writing a lot for the next days, because inspirations YESSSS.

I want to thanks a lot to all the new followers and some users that also put my story in favorite REALLY THANK YOU SO MUCH! And also I reached the 1000 views! OMGOMGOMG

Really thank you so much! I'm so happy that you all are enjoying the story!

But well, this is the chapter for today! Again if you want to write something for review, if you like Akari or my other characters or anything, you are welcome to do it!

A SUPER BIG HUG TO EVERYBODY READING THIS

Happy holidays! :D:D:D:D


	15. HIATUS

Hello... is there still people here?

I'm REALLY REALLY sorry about my absence, is been a difficult year and stuff had happened...

I wish to say that I have written new chapter, but I've been lying. I haven't and I haven't been connected with the Bleach story at all. In in another fandom right now and for me to continue this story will be hard.

I wish to say I'm gonna deleted it too. But I have all the general idea and still keep the document, but I'm not sure WHEN to continue. So, I will leave this in hiatus.

I'm really sorry to you all that have followed/favorite the story, I really appreciate you all, because I didn't thought many people where going to read it. So really thank you and I'm sorry. I hope that I can continue this story and finish it. I know that right now will not be, and not soon enough for your liking.

I apologize and wish you all the best and a great hug!.

With Love, Cori.


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